NBA Awards Voting: Are “free Thinkers” Like Van gundy, Perkins, and Quiet on the Right Track?

What do former NBA coach Stan Van Gundy, outspoken analyst
Kendrick Perkins, and Italian Sky Sport journalist Flavio quiet have
in common? They’ve all been identified as “free thinkers” in the often
predictable world of NBA awards voting.Data analyst owen Phillips,known
for his insightful visualizations on X,crunched the numbers on the 2024-25
NBA awards ballots,ranking voters based on how much their choices diverged
from the consensus. The results are raising eyebrows and sparking debate
among NBA enthusiasts.

Phillips’ analysis categorized voters as either “Free Thinkers” (those with
highly divergent opinions) or “Sheepps” (those who largely followed the
pack). Quiet landed surprisingly high on the “Free Thinkers” list, nestled
between Van Gundy and Perkins, and ahead of prominent U.S.-based analysts
like Ric bucher and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. This isn’t necessarily a
criticism of quiet’s choices,but rather an observation that his selections
stood out significantly from the norm. It’s like finding a minor league
pitcher with a knuckleball that confounds even the most seasoned hitters –
unexpected and intriguing.

But is being a “free thinker” necessarily a good thing when it comes to
NBA awards? Some argue that it’s crucial to have diverse perspectives to
avoid groupthink and ensure that deserving players and coaches aren’t
overlooked. Others contend that deviating too far from the consensus can
undermine the credibility of the awards process.

To understand Quiet’s unique perspective, let’s examine his 2024-25 NBA
awards votes:

• Clutch Player of the Year: 1st, Stephen Curry; 2nd, Jalen
  Brunson; 3rd, Kyrie irving
• Defensive Player of the Year: 1st, Evan Mobley; 2nd,
  Derrick White, 3rd, Luguentz Dort. (Quiet was the onyl voter to
  include Derrick White.)
• Most Improved Player: 1st, Cade Cunningham; 2nd,
  Amen Thompson (only 10 votes for him); 3rd, Ivica Zubac
• Most Valuable Player: 1st, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander; 2nd,
  Nikola Jokic; 3rd, Donovan Mitchell; 4th, Jayson Tatum; 5th, Giannis
  Antetokounmpo
• Rookie of the Year: 1st, Stephon Castle; 2nd, Zaccharie
  Risacher; 3rd, Jared McCain (the only one to have voted for
  him)
• Sixth man of the Year: 1st, Payton Pritchard; 2nd, Ty
  Jerome; 3rd, De’Andre Hunter
• Coach of the Year: 1st, Mark Daigneault; 2nd, Kenny
  Atkinson; 3rd, Ime Udoka
• All-NBA Team:

  • First Team: Antetokounmpo, Jokic, Mitchell, Gilgeous-Alexander, Tatum

  • Second Team: Cunningham, Curry, Edwards, Mobley, Alperen sengun

  • Third Team: Brunson, Haliburton, LeBron James, Towns, Jalen Williams

• All-Defensive Teams:

  • First Team: Daniels, Dort, Draymond Green, Mobley, Derrick White

  • Second Team: Camara, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jaden McDaniels, Amen
    Thompson, Zubac

• All-Rookie Teams:
  • First Team: Castle, Edey, McCain, Risacher, Sarr
  • Second Team: Buzelis, Ryan Dunn, Missi, Kel’el Ware, Wells

Quiet’s ballot reveals some unconventional choices. For exmaple, he was the
only voter to include Derrick White in the Defensive Player of the Year
debate and Jared McCain in the Rookie of the Year race. These selections
demonstrate a willingness to look beyond the obvious candidates and consider
players who might potentially be undervalued by the mainstream media.

However, Phillips’ analysis also raises a cautionary note:

Flavio Quiet of Sky Italia was the second most divergent voter this
year. It was the first time that had voted since 2019 and it would not
be scandalized if it were the last one. This is because the most
divergent voter of last year, Tolis Kotzias of Sdna, has not been
selected this year. Likewise, Eduardo Barao of Band, the most
divergent voter of 2023, did not receive a award ceremony neither in
2024 nor this year. It seems that the fastest way to lose your card is
to be a member of the foreign print and go against the current.

Is there a risk that voters who consistently deviate from the norm will be
penalized or excluded from future awards consideration? This raises vital
questions about the NBA’s commitment to diverse perspectives and the
potential for conformity within the voting process.It’s a bit like the
“unwritten rules” of baseball – are there unspoken expectations that limit
individual expression?

The debate over “free thinking” in NBA awards voting is likely to continue.
While there’s value in considering unconventional candidates, it’s also
important to maintain a level of objectivity and avoid simply trying to be
different for the sake of it. The key is to strike a balance between
autonomous thought and informed analysis.

Further investigation could explore the correlation between “free thinking”
votes and actual player performance, as well as the impact of media
narratives on awards voting patterns. Are “free thinkers” more likely to
identify undervalued talent, or are they simply outliers with idiosyncratic
preferences? This is a question worth exploring for any serious NBA fan.