Short answers, pulled from the story.
The NBA Sportsmanship Award began in 1995 as a league-wide honor. It existed simply as the Sportsmanship Award without a specific namesake before receiving a new name in 2000.
Every year each of the thirty NBA teams nominates one player to compete for this distinction. A panel selects one winner from each division among those nominees while all league players cast votes for the final winner using a point system where eleven points are given for each first-place vote.
Mike Conley stands alone in history with four awards to his name. He won titles in 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2023 across different franchises including Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves.
San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies have produced the most recipients with three wins each. Several teams like Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns, and Atlanta Hawks have generated two winners while other organizations such as Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors remain without an award winner.
Foreign-born players have occasionally received this honor despite not holding American citizenship. Luol Deng stands out as one of only two international athletes to win the award.