CHICAGO -- Pau Gasol has been selected as the 2014-15 winner of the Magic Johnson Award by the Professional Basketball Writers Association.

The award "annually recognizes the player who best combines excellence on the basketball court with cooperation and dignity in dealing with the media and the public," according to a release from the PBWA.

Gasol was very appreciative of the honor after Wednesday's practice.

"I just try to be helpful," he said. "I try to help other people do their jobs well. I understand my position and that this is a part of our jobs. So I always try to be kind and polite, even when I'm not feeling great or I might be upset because of the loss, but I understand that it's still part of my job to be one of the team's leaders and role models to kind of stand up and share my thoughts when I need."

Gasol was voted into the All-Star Game for the first time this season as a starter and has been the Bulls' most consistent offensive player. He averaged 18.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks a game.

"Over the years I think I developed it," Gasol said of his attitude. "It's easy to be friendly, it's easy to be kind. It rubs off on people, so you want to balance out the negatives in the world with some positives. So that's what I try to do."

Gasol routinely spends extra time in front of his locker after games patiently answering questions in both English and Spanish. As for how he deals with criticism, the 14-year veteran has learned to cope with it over time.

"I try to understand that it's nothing personal," he said. "People are just trying to do their jobs. I don't like people getting me to react in a negative way. So when there's criticism, when things are not going well, you understand it, you accept it, and then you spend some time with yourself and you release and understand why things happened and you move on."

Gasol said that he has tried to speak with his teammates over the years about the role the media plays in the game.

"I try, yeah," Gasol said. "I try several times when guys decide they don't want to talk. We're all human, we're not all the same. But you have to understand that people are just trying to do their jobs and you guys are a big part of our success and that's why all the news gets to people and people follow us and the sport is as big as it is. So the more coverage, the more attention, the better it is for the sport. But some guys don't see that perspective because the feelings and emotions get in the way and that's human as well. I just try to do my best as always."