Seventeen-year-old Pham Nhat Thai Quang of the Thang Long Warriors had a stunning 2023 season, earning himself a spot on the nominee list for the ‘Rookie of the Year’ category at the 2023 VBA awards.

The Vietnam Professional Basketball League (VBA) organized the selection process for outstanding individual awards during the 2023 VBA Finals.

The selection board consisted of prominent figures in the Vietnamese basketball community, including deputy chairman of the Vietnam Basketball Federation (VBF) Huynh Trong Khai and Nguyen Tran Phuc, a member of the VBF inspection committee.

After preliminary considerations, 17-year-old Pham Nhat Thai Quang was selected to join the ‘Rookie of the Year’ candidate roster.

The nominee list for the ‘Rookie of the Year’ award at the 2023 VBA. Photo: VBA

The rising star from the Thang Long Warriors created quite a buzz during the initial phases of the 2023 VBA season thanks to his remarkable courage and confidence. 

In the group stage alone, the teenage guard played a total of 274 minutes.

Quang played in 17 out of 18 matches for the Thang Long Warriors, including two appearances in the starting lineup. 

He maintained an average of 4.7 points and 1.1 assists per game, significantly contributing to the Hanoi-based team’s success in reaching the semifinals.

Thang Long Warriors coach Chris Daleo said he had high expectations for Quang’s future and hailed as a hard-working and respectful player.

The nominee list for the ‘Local Player of the Year’ award at the 2023 VBA. Photo: VBA

In addition, the highly anticipated category, ‘Local Player of the Year,’ revealed last year’s winner, guard Huynh Vinh Quang from the Nha Trang Dolphins, as one of four contenders for this year’s award.

Another notable nomination was the Hanoi Buffaloes’ newcomer, Nguyen Huy Hoang, a student at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, who is in contention for the ‘Sixth Man of the Year’ award.

Voting for nominations in all categories is ongoing, and the outcomes will be revealed during the 2023 VBA Awards ceremony.

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