Chauncey Billups of the Denver Nuggets is the recipient of the Joe Dumars Trophy presented to the 2008-09 NBA Sportsmanship Award winner, the NBA announced today.

A 12-year veteran, Billups was one of six divisional winners, which included Boston’s Ray Allen, Detroit’s Antonio McDyess, Golden State’s Ronny Turiaf, San Antonio’s Michael Finley and Washington’s Antawn Jamison.

Billups received 82 first-place votes (2,478 total points) of a possible 336.

For the fifth consecutive year, NBA players voted on this award, with eleven points given for each first-place vote, nine points for each second-place vote, seven points for third, five points for fourth, three points for fifth and one point for each sixth-place vote received. Each team nominated one of its players for the award. Former NBA players Mike Bantom, John Crotty, Eddie Johnson, Jalen Rose, Tom "Satch" Sanders, Kenny Smith and Chris Webber then selected the six divisional winners.

The NBA will make a donation on behalf of Chauncey Billups to Porter-Billups Leadership Academy at Regis University, a program that provides academic and leadership training to at-risk inner city students from Denver, with a goal of helping students attend college.

The NBA will also make a donation to each of the divisional winner’s charities of choice: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation & Ray of Hope Foundation on behalf of Allen; American Cancer Society on behalf of McDyess and Turiaf; the Michael Finley Foundation on behalf of Finley; and Kaboom & Wizards Care on Jamison’s behalf.

The annual award reflects the ideals of sportsmanship -- ethical behavior, fair play and integrity -- in amateur and professional basketball, a key focus of the league’s NBA Cares program efforts. The trophy is named for former Detroit Pistons guard and Hall of Famer Joe Dumars, the award’s first recipient.

Ray Allen (Boston Celtics) came in second in the voting with 76 first place and 2092 total votes. Antonio McDyess (Detroit Pistons) came in third, Antawn Jamison (Washington Wizards) fourth, Michael Finley (San Antonio Spurs) fifth and Ronny Turiaf (Golden State Warriors) sixth.

ALL-TIME NBA SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD WINNERS

Inaugural: Joe Dumars (1995-96) 2002-03: Ray Allen, Seattle
1996-97: Terrell Brandon, Cleveland 2003-04: P.J. Brown, New Orleans
1997-98: Avery Johnson, San Antonio 2004-05: Grant Hill, Orlando
1998-99: Hersey Hawkins, Seattle 2005-06: Elton Brand, L.A. Clippers
1999-00: Eric Snow, Philadelphia 2006-07: Luol Deng, Chicago
2000-01: David Robinson, San Antonio 2007-08: Grant Hill, Phoenix
2001-02: Steve Smith, San Antonio 2008-09: Chauncey Billups, Denver