Golden State Warriors Steph Curry was recently named the 2024-25 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award winner. The award recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to the team.

The Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award honors Jack Twyman and Maurice Stokes, whose storied friendship transcended their Hall of Fame accomplishments. Twyman and Stokes were teammates on the Rochester/Cincinnati Royals from 1955 to 58. In the last game of the 1957-58 regular season, Stokes sustained an injury that led to his falling into a coma days later and becoming permanently paralyzed. He was diagnosed with post-traumatic encephalopathy, a brain injury that damaged his motor-control center. Stokes was supported for the rest of his life by Twyman, who became his legal guardian and advocate.

Twyman helped organize the NBA's Maurice Stokes Memorial Basketball Game, which raised funds for Stokes' medical care and, after Stokes died in 1970 at age 36, for other players in need. In 2004, after years of lobbying by Twyman, Stokes was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Twyman, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983, died in 2012.

Curry has won the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award for the first time.  Curry won the honor by 20 votes over Houston's Steven Adams, 1,257-1,237. He previously won the NBA Sportsmanship Award (2010-11), which honors a player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court.

A 16-year NBA veteran, Curry is a two-time Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, an 11-time NBA All-Star, and the league's career leader in three-pointers made.  He has won four NBA championships, all with Golden State, the only franchise for which he has played.

Stokes was a four-year letterwinner from 1951-55 for the then Saint Francis College "Frankies," leading the team to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) in his final two seasons. The Frankies won 20 games in three of his four seasons and finished fourth in the 1955 NIT. Stokes was named the MVP for his efforts and was a second-team All-American selection in 1955. Stokes finished his career in Loretto with 2,282 points and 1,819 rebounds, even though the rebound statistic was not kept during his freshman year. Stokes also holds the single-game record for rebounds with 39 against John Carroll (Jan. 28, 1955) and posted 43 points against Dayton in the 1955 NIT.

To learn more about the friendship between the two men, click here for SFU professor Dr. Pat Farabaugh's book, An Unbreakable Bond: The Brotherhood of Maurice Stokes and Jack Twyman.

Every year, 12 players, six from each conference, are nominated by a panel of NBA executives. NBA players then cast votes for the award, with 10 points given for each first-place vote, seven for a second-place vote, five points for third, three points for fourth, and one point for each fifth-place vote received. Regardless of the number of first-place votes, the player with the highest point total wins the award. The NBA presents the winner with the Twyman–Stokes Trophy and gives a $25,000 donation to a charity of the recipient's choice.

The finalists (listed alphabetically by last name) were Adams, Nicholas Batum (LA Clippers), Jalen Brunson (New York), Steph Curry (Golden State), Tobias Harris (Detroit), Al Hoford (Boston), Jaren Jackson, Jr. (Memphis), James Johnson (Indiana), DeAndre Jordan (Denver), Brook Lopez (Milwaukee), Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland) and Jaylin Williams (Oklahoma City).

List of Winners of the Twyman-Stokes Award:
2012-13: Chauncey Billups, Los Angeles Clippers
2013-14: Shane Battier, Miami Heat
2014-15: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
2015-16: Vince Carter, Memphis Grizzles
2016-17: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
2017-18: Jamal Crawford, Minnesota Timberwolves
2018-19: Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzles
2019-20: Jrue Holiday, New Orleans Pelicans
2020-21: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
2021-22: Jrue Holliday, Milwaukee Bucks
2022-23: Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee Bucks
2023-24: Mike Conley, Minnesota Timberwolves
2024-25: Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors

Credit NBA.com with the information and photo regarding this year's winner and votes.