The Forgotten Award: The IBM Award and Its Flaws

TLDRThe IBM award, a trophy for the most valuable player in the NBA based on statistics, was awarded from 1984 to 2002. However, the award's formula, which favored big men and did not consider context, resulted in skewed and questionable winners. The award was discontinued due to these flaws.

Key insights

💡The IBM award was an MVP award in the NBA based purely on statistics.

🔍The formula for the IBM award calculated a player's statistical contributions to their team.

📈The IBM formula heavily favored big men and didn't consider context or nuance.

🏆Players like Hakeem Olajuwon, Tim Duncan, and David Robinson won the IBM award.

The flaws in the IBM formula and questionable winners led to the discontinuation of the award.

Q&A

What was the IBM award?

The IBM award was a trophy given to the most valuable or impactful player in the NBA based on statistical contributions.

Who were some of the winners of the IBM award?

Players like Hakeem Olajuwon, Tim Duncan, and David Robinson were among the winners of the IBM award.

What flaws did the IBM award have?

The IBM award heavily favored big men and didn't consider context or nuance, resulting in questionable winners.

Why was the IBM award discontinued?

The flaws in the IBM formula and questionable winners led to the discontinuation of the award.

Is there a similar award in the NBA now?

There is no similar award in the NBA now, but there are advanced metrics that capture player impact and value.

Timestamped Summary

00:00The IBM award was a trophy given to the most valuable or impactful player in the NBA based on statistical contributions.

00:52The formula for the IBM award calculated a player's statistical contributions to their team.

02:37The IBM formula heavily favored big men and didn't consider context or nuance.

04:53Players like Hakeem Olajuwon, Tim Duncan, and David Robinson were among the winners of the IBM award.

06:39The flaws in the IBM formula and questionable winners led to the discontinuation of the award.