FIBA Europe 2010 Awards

Hana Horákova with the 2010 World Championship for Women MVP trophy

FIBA Europe announced on Wednesday that Hana Horákova of the Czech Republic is the European Women's Player of the Year for 2010.

The award winner was decided by the public and an expert panel vote. Horákova was second in fan votes, behind Turkey's Nevriye Yilmaz, but won the experts' vote by a comfortable margin ahead of Sandrine Gruda of France.

The 1.82m tall guard was the MVP of the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women, averaging 12.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists to lead the Czech Republic to the Final.

In typical fashion for the go-to player of the Czech national team, her best performances in the tournament came when it really mattered. She had 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals in the quarter-final upset of defending champions Australia and 14 points, four rebounds, five assists and four steals in the dramatic defeat of Belarus in the semi-finals.

The 31-year-old had long been the leader of Czech EuroLeague Women side Frisco Sika Brno and finished the 2010 season with 12 points, 4.5 rebounds and three assists per game. She signed with Turkish club Fenerbahce in the summer and remains one of the top players in the competition.

"For me, Hana Horákova has been the face of the Czech national team over the last decade and a shining example of work ethic and winning mentality in European women's basketball," said FIBA Europe President Olafur Rafnsson.

FIBA Europe Secretary General Nar Zanolin added: "Horákova is a born leader. Her never-say-die attitude and constant strive for improvement would make her a champion in any discipline. We're lucky she chose basketball."

On Friday, FIBA Europe will announce the winner of the Men's Player of the Year Award for 2010.

FIBA Europe Women's Player of the Year voting results: