Which NBA stars missed 65-game cutoff for end-of-season awards?
The NBA's 65-game eligibility requirement for end-of-season awards has become a divisive issue.
Critics argue the rule has failed to effectively reduce load-management absences. The National Basketball Players Association recently pointed to Cade Cunningham's award ineligibility after a breakout season as evidence of the policy's shortcomings. However, NBA commissioner Adam Silver insists the cutoff "is working."
To qualify for Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player of the Year, or All-NBA and All-Defensive teams, players must record at least 20 minutes in 65 games. Anyone who suffers a season-ending injury is required to feature in 62 contests.
Ja Morant (20 games), Anthony Davis (20), Domantas Sabonis (19), Jayson Tatum (16), and Trae Young (16) are among the players who appeared in 20 or fewer games.
With the regular season complete, here's a list of marquee players who might have been eligible for individual honors if not for the games-played criteria:
* Honors represents the number of times the player made an All-Star team, All-NBA team, All-Rookie team, All-Defensive team, or won any of the NBA's individual awards (MVP, DPOY, ROY, etc.).
⁺ Doncic will reportedly appeal his ineligibility using the Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge after missing two games to travel to Slovenia for the birth of his daughter.
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