Miami Heat forward LeBron James has been selected as the Hickok Belt Award winner for the month of June 2012. Voting was conducted by a select panel of members of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA). James was selected based on his outstanding performance in the NBA playoffs throughout the month, culminating with the Miami Heat being crowned league champions and his selection as MVP of the NBA Finals. James averaged 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game while shooting .473 from the floor in the finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder en route to his first NBA Championship.
Other finalists for the month of May in order of how the NSSA voters ranked them included: Jonathan Quick (hockey), Matt Cain (baseball), R.A. Dickey (baseball), Tiger Woods (golf), Maria Sharapova (tennis), Rafael Nadal (tennis), Fernando Torres (soccer), John Velazquez (horse racing), and Joey Logano (auto racing).
The Hickok Belt Award was originally presented annually from 1950-1976. Past recipients include a list of the 20th century’s elite athletes including the likes of Muhammad Ali, Arnold Palmer, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Jim Brown and others who defined their sports.
