Between parties, road trips and tinkering rotations, December often feels like a real test in the NBA… except for those who turn it into a demonstration. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Brunson took home the honors, while rookies, defensive bosses and coaches of the month joined the party. The December NBA awards are here.
Players of the month
In the West, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues his balancing act, except he does this at 30+ points every night. 31.4 points and 6.1 assists on averagewith a 59.4% shooting over the month. And when OKC strings together victories in December (9-4), it naturally ends with a trophy in its hands. We could also note a slight drop in speed for the Thunder machine which conceded 4 of its 5 defeats of the season this month.
In the East, Jalen Brunson had a month of December in hotplate mode: you put your hand down, you get burned. 30,6 points, 7,1 passesand above all this 40.5% at 3-points which punishes the slightest second of hesitation. The Knicks signed a 10-4 over the period as well as an NBA Cup title.
🚨 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Brunson are the two players of the month for December in the NBA! 🔥🏆 pic.twitter.com/1smoGntCtw
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) January 2, 2026
Rookies of the month
In the West, Cooper Flagg continues to pass off his adaptation in the NBA as an administrative formality. On December: 23.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists. Big volume, big versatility, and above all the feeling that Dallas has already found a rookie capable of carrying entire sequences. Bonus: he wins a second consecutive trophy (already winner in November).
In the East, Could Knueppel responds with the same regularity: 20.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.7 assistsand a big detail that pleases the eyes (and spacing nerds): 46.2% you parking over the month. Here too, it is double during the season (November + December). Charlotte holds a rookie who produces, without trembling, and that is rewarded.
🚨 Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel (logically) named rookies of the month for December!
AND Maxime Raynaud is one of the mentions in the West 🙏💪🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/Z1yYvU95g7
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) January 2, 2026
The best defenders of the month
In the West, Chet Holmgren is rewarded for what teams hate the most: a presence that changes decisions even before the ball rises. In December, OKC displays the best defensive rating in the conference over the period (106.2), and Holmgren sets his roll-bar protector figures (notably 2.0 blocks per game) while making the defense more stifling when he is on the field.
In the East, the trophy goes to Isaiah Stewart : impact, contacts, deterrence, and defensive figures which rise very high despite a role that is not necessarily glamorous. On December, Stewart is credited with approximately 2.2 blocks and 9.4 contested shots per gamewith Detroit continuing to unfold. The trophy doesn’t need to be beautiful: it needs to be painful to play.
🚨 Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Stewart named defenders of the month for December!
Rudy Gobert is also among the mentions in the West! 🇫🇷💪 pic.twitter.com/LfwPgYzv0G
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) January 2, 2026
Coaches of the month
In the West, Mitch Johnson is rewarded with San Antonio: 11 victories for 3 defeats in December, best results of the month, and a team which piled up successes even while managing absences (including Wembanyama for part of the month). It looks like a well-managed group, with a clear identity and real consistency.
In the East, Joe Mazzulla takes the trophy on the Celtics side, with a 9-3 over the period and a team which remains at the top of the table despite the holes in the rotation. Nothing magical: spacing, solid habits, and a collective that doesn’t collapse when things get messy. This is exactly the kind of month that ends with a coaching award.
🚨 Mitch Johnson and Joe Mazzulla are the coaches of the month for December! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vao24A8fVg
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) January 2, 2026
