Reverse NBA Awards: The Magic/Bird Award for Biggest Bromance
- Derrick Rose and Tom Thibodeau
- Stephen Curry and Draymond Green
- Chris Paul and LeBron James
This is a feel-good award that likes to reward continuity and friendship.
Chris Paul and Lebron James are two of the longest-tenured NBA players out there right now, and they’re still set to battle each other in the playoffs. The amount of respect these two have for one another, on top of their lofty standings as spokesmen for the league, and the fact that they just like each other lands them a spot on the ballot, if only the third.
Curry and Draymond have been playing this season like an old married couple. After nearly a decade of deep playoff runs and continuity, Steph and Draymond have gotten to the point where they can read each other’s minds. In this era of star player movement, it’s delightfully refreshing to see these two operate with this kind of chemistry. A chemistry they built over dozens of high-stakes games and playoff battles.
Still, this award can only go to the most adorable player/coach pairing in NBA history. They’re star-crossed these two. From his MVP days with the Chicago Bulls to his redemption arc with the Minnesota Timberwolves to now being the star 6th man of a playoff team in the Knicks, Derrick Rose and Tom Thibodeau have been together through it all.
The cynics might say that Thibs is a bad influence on Rose. That he expects too much of him, that their relationship takes a toll on him leading to a sad crash and burn, but when the brightest points of either of their careers have come working with one another, it’s hard to argue with the results. Rose and Thibs make an adorable couple and are the clear choice for this award.