The NBA G League announced Thursday that the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (affiliate club of the Houston Rockets) have earned three annual performance awards for this season, including guard Trevelin Queen as the 2021-22 Kia NBA G League Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Additionally, head coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah was selected as the G League Coach of the Year, while general manager Travis Stockbridge was named the G League Basketball Executive of the Year.
Former NBA player Malik Rose, who is currently head of basketball operations for the G League, will present all three winners with their awards on Thursday night before the Vipers host the Texas Legends in the semifinal round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Rio Grande is the second team in G League history to earn MVP, Coach of the Year and Basketball Executive of the Year accolades in the same season. The MVP and Coach of the Year awards were voted on by the league’s 28 head coaches and general managers, while the top executive award was voted on by the general managers only.
Queen, a two-way player with the Rockets, has averaged 25.3 points (47.1% FG), 6.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 3.3 steals in 19 games.
Queen (6-6, 190, New Mexico State) signed his two-way contract with the Rockets on Dec. 18, 2021, and has appeared in 10 games for Houston this season. He is the third Vipers player to win G League MVP, joining Mike Harris (2009-10) and Andrew Goudelock (2012-13).
An impact player on both ends of the court! 🏀
After averaging 25.3 PTS, 6.6 REB, 5.2 AST & 3.3 STL for the West’s No. 1 seed @RGVVipers, Trevelin Queen is your 2021-22 @Kia NBA G League Most Valuable Player.
Read More: https://t.co/MyjN28iWod pic.twitter.com/XLL526RTFq
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) April 7, 2022
In his third season as Vipers head coach, Abdelfattah steered Rio Grande Valley (RGV) to the top regular-season record in the Western Conference (24-10), earning a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Under Abdelfattah, the Vipers led the league in points per game (124.5), free throws made (12.4), offensive rebounds (16.5), and total rebounds (51.4).
Since being named head coach prior to the 2019-20 season, Abdelfattah has led the Vipers to a record of 48-43 and two straight playoff berths. He is the second head coach in RGV history to earn Coach of the Year honors, joining current Minnesota head coach Chris Finch (2009-10).
Stockbridge becomes the first executive in Vipers’ history to win the top executive award. His key player acquisitions included Marcus Foster (18.7 points per game, 4.3 assists), Mfiondu Kabengele (17.5 points, 9.4 rebounds) and 12-year NBA veteran Gerald Green (16.6 points, 4.8 rebounds). Since Stockbridge became general manager in 2019, five RGV players have earned call-ups to the Rockets: Queen, Armoni Brooks, Anthony Lamb, Ray Spalding and Brodric Thomas.
RT to congratulate our G League family, @RGVVipers!
✔️ G League MVP
✔️ G League Coach of the Year
✔️ G League Executive of the Year pic.twitter.com/ClTjAEHRO0— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 7, 2022
Stockbridge has been a member Houston’s basketball operations department for 10 seasons, and he works with Stephen Silas and the coaching staff of the Rockets during each G League offseason.
The Sioux Falls Skyforce (2015-16) is the only other NBA G League team to have won all three awards in the same season.
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