Full Breakdown
Brad Stevens Named 2025-26 NBA Executive of the Year
4/29/2026, 10:02:36 PM
Award Announcement and Immediate Context
The NBA announced on Monday that Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens earned the 2025-26 NBA Executive of the Year award. It is his second honor in three seasons, making him the 12th executive to win twice and the sixth to do so within a three-year span. Stevens secured 11 first-place votes from the league’s executive panel.
Celtics’ Financial Maneuvering and On-Court Success
Stevens oversaw a Celtics squad that finished 56-26, the Eastern Conference’s second-best record and a top-two seed for the fifth straight year. After Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury, he traded Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, saving about $301 million in payroll and luxury-tax costs while keeping core talent. Tatum returned on March 6; Boston went 13-3 in his 16 starts, and Jaylen Brown posted a career-best season.
Vote Totals and Point Scores
The executive panel, composed of NBA team leaders and tabulated by Ernst & Young, placed Stevens on 17 of 30 ballots and gave him 11 first-place votes. Bleacher Report noted 11 of 28 first-place votes and a 69-point total, ahead of Atlanta’s Onsi Saleh and Detroit’s Trajan Langdon.
Official NBA Announcement
NBA Communications announced via Twitter that Stevens was named the 2025-26 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year, noting it was his second such honor and that he joins a select group of executives who have won the award multiple times since its inception in 1972-73.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Stevens earns the honor for the second time, having previously received it in 2023-24.” — NBA Communications, Twitter
- “He is the 12th executive to win the award multiple times since it was first presented in 1972-73.” — NBA Communications, Twitter
- “2 seed, and the vote showed executives valued both.” — El Balad
Conflicting Reports on Balloting
ESPN reports a 30-member executive panel, while Bleacher Report cites 28 first-place votes and a 69-point total. ESPN notes Stevens appeared on 17 of 30 ballots; Bleacher Report lists 11 of 28 first-place votes. NBA.com confirms a panel of team executives but gives no exact number.
Significance of a Second Award
The repeat honor highlights Stevens’ rare mix of on-court success and salary-cap discipline. Joining Danny Ainge as the only Celtics executives to win, he shows that strategic roster cuts can coexist with deep playoff runs, reflecting the league’s growing focus on financial stewardship alongside performance.
Upcoming Honors and Celtics Outlook
The NBA will later announce the MVP, Coach of the Year, Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year and Hustle Award. With Tatum back, Boston enters the playoffs as the No. 2 seed, testing whether its fiscal prudence can fuel a championship bid.
