As far as newcomers to the Los Angeles Lakers this season, most of the attention has been focused on Luka Doncic, and for good reason. He has taken Los Angeles by storm, and he even set a new franchise record for the most 3-pointers made in a single month during March.
But forward Dorian Finney-Smith has been an underrated addition to the Purple and Gold. He was acquired in the late December trade that sent struggling guard D'Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets, and he has helped change the complexion of a Lakers roster that had lacked defense and toughness early in the season.
Finney-Smith's defense and 3-point shooting has helped the team climb the standings, and he has also been something of an elder statesman on and off the court. The NBA announced that he is one of six finalists for the league's Sportsmanship Award.
The finalists for the 2024-25 NBA Sportsmanship Award.
— NBA (@NBA) April 2, 2025
The annual honor recognizes the player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court. Current NBA players will select the winner from these six finalists (one finalist from each NBA division). #NBAAwardspic.twitter.com/wY3NUss1bF
Finney-Smith, 31, will be a key part of whatever type of success L.A. will have in the playoffs, especially considering some of the defensive matchups against talented and skilled wings that await it.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Dorian Finney-Smith is a finalist for an NBA award
