NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award explained

National Basketball Association Sixth Man of the Year Award
Sport:Basketball
League:National Basketball Association
Givenfor:Best performing non-starting player in regular season of the National Basketball Association
Mostwins:Jamal Crawford
Lou Williams (tied, 3)
Mostrecent:Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves

The National Basketball Association's Sixth Man of the Year Award (colloquially known as the 6MOY) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the league's best performing player for his team coming off the bench as a substitute (or sixth man). A panel of sportswriters and broadcasters from throughout the United States and Canada votes on the recipient. Since the 2022–23 NBA season, winners receive the John Havlicek Trophy, named after the eight-time NBA champion.

Each judge casts a vote for first, second and third place selections. Each first-place vote is worth five points; each second-place vote is worth three points; and each third-place vote is worth one point. The player with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award. To be eligible for the award, a player must come off the bench in more games than he starts.[1] The 2008–09 winner, Jason Terry, averaged the most playing time of any sixth man in an award-winning season; he finished the year with an average of 33.7 minutes played per game with the Dallas Mavericks.[2]

Bobby Jones was the inaugural winner of the award for the 1982–83 NBA season. The 2023–24 recipient was Naz Reid of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jamal Crawford and Lou Williams are the only three time winners of the award. Kevin McHale, Ricky Pierce and Detlef Schrempf won the award twice. McHale, Toni Kukoč, Bobby Jones, Bill Walton, and Manu Ginóbili are the only Hall of Famers who have won the award; Walton, along with James Harden, are the only award winners to have earned NBA MVP honors in their careers.[3] Manu Ginóbili is the only award winner to be named to an All-NBA team in the same season. Mike Miller and Malcolm Brogdon are the only award winners to have also won NBA Rookie of the Year.

Manu Ginóbili, Detlef Schrempf, Leandro Barbosa, Toni Kukoč, and Ben Gordon are the only award winners not born in the United States. Gordon was the first player to win the award as a rookie.[4] Of the five foreign-born winners, three were trained completely outside the U.S., namely Ginóbili, Barbosa and Kukoč. Schrempf played two years of high school basketball in Centralia, Washington before playing college basketball at Washington, and Gordon was raised in Mount Vernon, New York and went on to play in college at Connecticut.

Winners

^Denotes player who is still active in the NBA
Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration
§1st time eligible for Hall of Fame in 2024[5] -->
Player (#)Denotes the number of times the player has received the award
Team (#)Denotes the number of times a player from this team has won
SeasonPlayerPositionNationalityTeam
Power forwardPhiladelphia 76ers
Power forwardBoston Celtics
  • (2)
Power forwardBoston Celtics (2)
CenterBoston Celtics (3)
Shooting guardMilwaukee Bucks
Power forwardDallas Mavericks
Small forwardPhoenix Suns
(2)Shooting guardMilwaukee Bucks (2)
Power forwardIndiana Pacers
(2)Power forwardIndiana Pacers (2)
Power forwardPortland Trail Blazers
Shooting guardCharlotte Hornets
Power forwardNew York Knicks
Small forwardChicago Bulls
Shooting guardNew York Knicks (2)
Power forwardPhoenix Suns (2)
Point guardOrlando Magic
Power forwardPhoenix Suns (3)
Shooting guardPhiladelphia 76ers (2)
Small forwardDetroit Pistons
Point guardSacramento Kings
Small forwardDallas Mavericks (2)
Shooting guardChicago Bulls (2)
Shooting guardMemphis Grizzlies
Shooting guardPhoenix Suns (4)
Shooting guardSan Antonio Spurs
Shooting guardDallas Mavericks (3)
Shooting guardAtlanta Hawks
Power forwardLos Angeles Lakers
^Shooting guardOklahoma City Thunder
Shooting guardNew York Knicks (3)
(2)Shooting guardLos Angeles Clippers
Shooting guardToronto Raptors
(3)Shooting guardLos Angeles Clippers (2)
^Shooting guardHouston Rockets
(2)Shooting guardLos Angeles Clippers (3)
(3)Shooting guardLos Angeles Clippers (4)
CenterLos Angeles Clippers (5)
^ Shooting guardUtah Jazz
^ Shooting guardMiami Heat
^ Shooting guardBoston Celtics (4)
^ CenterMinnesota Timberwolves

Multi-time winners

AwardsPlayerTeam(s)Years
3 Lou Williams
Los Angeles Clippers (2) ,
Jamal Crawford
Los Angeles Clippers (2),
2 Kevin McHaleBoston Celtics,
,
Detlef SchrempfIndiana Pacers,

Teams

Awards Teams Years
5Los Angeles Clippers,,,,
4Phoenix Suns,,,
Boston Celtics,,,
3Dallas Mavericks,,
New York Knicks,,
2Indiana Pacers,
Philadelphia 76ers,
Milwaukee Bucks,
Chicago Bulls,
1Portland Trail Blazers
Charlotte Hornets
Orlando Magic
Detroit Pistons
Sacramento Kings
Memphis Grizzlies
San Antonio Spurs
Atlanta Hawks
Los Angeles Lakers
Oklahoma City Thunder
Toronto Raptors
Houston Rockets
Utah Jazz
Miami Heat
Minnesota Timberwolves
NoneBrooklyn Nets
Denver Nuggets
New Orleans Pelicans
Washington Wizards
Cleveland Cavaliers
Golden State Warriors

See also

References

General
Specific

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ginobili Wins 2007-08 Sixth Man of the Year Award Presented by Kia Motors. July 11, 2008. April 21, 2008. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. NBA.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20121104055031/http://www.nba.com/news/sixthman_080421.html. November 4, 2012. dead.
  2. Web site: NBA & ABA Sixth Man of the Year Award Winners . Basketball-Reference.com . . August 3, 2018 . en.
  3. Web site: Most Valuable Player. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. NBA.com. June 15, 2009.
  4. Web site: Gordon Wins NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. July 11, 2008. May 3, 2005. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. NBA.com/Chicago Bulls.
  5. Web site: 2024 Hall of Fame Candidates . basketball-reference.com . November 8, 2021.