Russell Westbrook named 2016-17 NBA MVP, full list of winners from 2017 NBA Awards

Russell Westbrook, 2017 NBA Awards — Jun 26, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder player Russell Westbrook poses for photos with his 2017 NBA most valuable player award during the 2017 NBA Awards at Basketball City at Pier 36. USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner

Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook was honoured with the 2016-17 NBA MVP award during the 2017 NBA Awards ceremony in New York on Monday evening. Westbrook was awarded with the highest individual accolade in the sport that takes into account performances during the NBA regular season.

Westbrook, with a career-high tally of 31.6 points, 10.4 assists and 10.7 rebounds, made history by becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double. He also broke Robertson's record for most triple-doubles in a season with 42. The 28-year-old topped an elite group of players featuring James Harden (Houston Rockets), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs) and LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers).

Last month, Westbrook, Harden and Leonard were shortlisted as the three candidates to win MVP. In the years gone by, the MVP award was handed out within the first few weeks of the playoffs. And while the votes for each of the honours (voted by media members) are still tallied immediately after the regular season, the awards were handed out on Sunday, nearly three months after the completion the 2016-17 season.

2017 NBA Awards: Russell Westbrook dominate MVP ballot

Westrook received 69 of 101 first-place votes to win the award. "Everybody in Oklahoma City that let me go out and compete at a high level every night. I couldn't thank everybody, but thanks, you guys, to everybody who helped me along the way," said Westbrook during an emotional acceptance speech, via ESPN.

The Thunder star thanked his family members for giving him a platform to excel in basketball. "I remember growing up just being home, playing the video games and stuff with my pops, and my mom sitting there and my brother and just talking about maybe one day I could be the MVP. Obviously I was joking at the time. But now to be standing here with this trophy next to me is a true blessing, man, and it's an unbelievable feeling, something that I can never imagine."

Golden State Warriors All-Star Draymond Green piped Utah Jazz centre Rudy Gobert and Spurs' Leonard for his maiden Defensive Player of the Year award. Milwaukee Bucks point guard won the Rookie of the Year award over the Philadelphia 76ers duo of Dario Saric and Joel Embiid. Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon walked away with the Sixth Man of the Year Award. Gordon's coach, Mike D'Antoni, won the Coach of the Year award and Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo won the Most Improved Player. Antetokounmpo, nicknamed The Greek Freak, averaged 22.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists while also making his first-ever NBA All-Star team and All-NBA team.