Rio Grande Valley Vipers' Trevelin Queen Named Kia NBA G League MVP As Team Wins Three 2021-22 Season Awards

NEW YORK, April 7, 2022 – The NBA G League today announced that the Rio Grande Valley Vipers have earned three annual performance awards for this season, including guard Trevelin Queen being named the 2021-22 Kia NBA G League Most Valuable Player. Additionally, head coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah is the recipient of the Dennis Johnson Trophy as the 2021-22 NBA G League Coach of the Year, while General Manager Travis Stockbridge has been named the 2021-22 NBA G League Basketball Executive of the Year. NBA G League Head of Basketball Operations Malik Rose will present all three winners with their awards tonight before the Vipers host the Texas Legends in the Western Conference Semifinals at the Bert Ogden Arena (8 p.m. ET, ESPNews). Rio Grande is the second team in NBA 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 Basketball Executive of the Year was voted on by the general managers only. Queen, a two-way player with the Houston Rockets, averaged 25.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 3.3 steals in 19 games. Queen (6-6, 190, New Mexico State) received an NBA GATORADE Call-Up when he 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 Rio Grande Valley Vipers player to win the Kia NBA G League MVP award, joining Mike Harris (2009-10) and Andrew Goudelock (2012-13). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8htEopW0yJ8 In his third season as head coach of the Rockets’ NBA G League affiliate, Abdelfattah steered the Vipers to the top regular-season record in the Western Conference (24-10), earning a bye in the NBA G League Playoffs presented by Google Pixel.  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 consecutive playoff appearances.  He is the second head coach in Rio Grande Valley history to earn Coach of the Year honors, joining current Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch (2009-10). Stockbridge becomes the first executive in Vipers’ history to win the Basketball Executive of the Year award.  Key player acquisitions by Stockbridge included Marcus Foster (18.7 ppg, 4.3 apg), Mfiondu Kabengele (17.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg) and 12-year NBA veteran Gerald Green (16.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg).  Since Stockbridge became general manager in 2019, five Rio Grande Valley players have earned GATORADE Call-Ups: Queen, Armoni Brooks, Anthony Lamb, Ray Spalding and Brodric Thomas. The Sioux Falls Skyforce is the only other NBA G League team to win all three awards in the same season.  Sioux Falls accomplished this feat for the 2015-16 season, with Jarnell Stokes winning MVP, Dan Craig earning Coach of the Year and Adam Simon receiving Basketball Executive of the Year honors. Motor City Cruise guard Saben Lee, who was on assignment from the Detroit Pistons, and South Bay Lakers two-way guard Mason Jones finished in second and third place, respectively, in voting for Kia NBA G League MVP. Raptors 905 head coach Patrick Mutombo and Agua Caliente Clippers head coach Paul Hewitt finished in second and third place, respectively, for NBA G League Coach of the Year. Delaware Blue Coats General Manager Prosper Karangwa and Raptors 905 General Manager Chad Sanders finished in second and third place, respectively, for NBA G League Basketball Executive of the Year. Click here to view previous NBA G League award winners.