Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks was named the winner of the Maurice Podoloff Trophy as the NBA?s Most Valuable Player for the 2006-07 season, the NBA announced today.  

The  nine-year  NBA  veteran totaled 1,138 points, including 83 first place votes,  from  a  panel of 129 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United  States  and  Canada.  Players  were  awarded  10  points  for  each first-place  vote, seven points for each second-place vote, five for third, three for fourth and one for each fifth-place vote received.  

Rounding  out  the  top  five  in  voting for MVP were Phoenix?s Steve Nash (1,013  points/44  first-place  votes), the Los Angeles Lakers? Kobe Bryant (521  points/two  first-place votes), San Antonio?s Tim Duncan (286 points) and Cleveland?s LeBron James (183 points).  

Nowitzki  is  the  first  European-born player to win the NBA MVP Award and joins Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets (1993-94), Duncan (2001-02 and 2002-03)  and  Nash  (2004-05  and  2005-06)  on  the list of international players that have captured the Podoloff Trophy.