The NBA is a stars' league. We know this. We see the highlights of Giannis barreling through a lane or Steph hitting a shot from the logo, and we think that’s the whole game. But there’s a subculture in professional basketball that basically decides championships while the superstars are getting their Gatorade fix on the bench.
The nba sixth man of the year winners & nominees represent the guys who are too good to be "just" bench players but too strategically valuable to start. Honestly, it’s a weird paradox. You’re good enough to play thirty minutes, but you have to watch the first six minutes from the sidelines.
The Current State of the 2025-26 Race
Right now, as we hit the mid-point of January 2026, the race for the John Havlicek Trophy is a total mess. And I mean that in the best way possible. Usually, by now, someone like Lou Williams or Jamal Crawford would have already locked it up by averaging 18 points on microwave scoring. But the criteria have shifted.
Voters aren't just looking at the box score anymore. They want impact. They want wins.
Keldon Johnson: The San Antonio Spark
Look at Keldon Johnson in San Antonio. He’s been a starter for most of his career, but this season, Coach Mitch Johnson (taking over the reins after Pop) has him coming off the bench. It’s working. The Spurs have leaped up the Western Conference standings. Johnson isn't just scoring; he’s shooting a blistering 41.5% from deep while providing that "Big Body" energy that flips games in the second quarter.
He hasn't started a single game this year. That’s "true" sixth man status.
The Return of Naz Reid
Then you've got Naz Reid. The man is a cult hero in Minnesota. He won the award in 2024, and after finishing fifth in the 2025 voting, he’s right back at the top of the conversation. It’s rare for a big man to dominate this award—it’s usually a guard’s game—but Reid’s ability to stretch the floor and protect the rim makes him a nightmare for second units.
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The Timberwolves are a powerhouse. When you have a guy like Reid coming in for Rudy Gobert or Julius Randle, the opposing team never gets a "break."
What the History Books Tell Us
The award has been around since the 1982-83 season. Bobby Jones was the first to take it home for the Sixers. Since then, it’s been a mix of Hall of Famers and "microwave" scorers who might not have been All-Stars but could drop 20 on your head any given Tuesday.
The Three-Timer Club
Only two men have won this thing three times.
- Jamal Crawford: (2010, 2014, 2016)
- Lou Williams: (2015, 2018, 2019)
These guys defined the role for a decade. They were pure bucket-getters. If the offense stalled, you gave them the ball and got out of the way. Lou Will even had a song written about him. That’s when you know you’ve made it.
The Boston Connection
It’s kinda wild how many Celtics have won this. In the last few years, Boston has turned the bench into a weapon of mass destruction. Malcolm Brogdon won it in 2023. Then Payton Pritchard absolutely ran away with it in the 2024-25 season.
Pritchard was a 100/1 long shot at the start of last year. He ended up getting 82 out of 100 first-place votes. Why? Because he hit 246 three-pointers off the bench—a new NBA record. He wasn't just a "backup"; he was a tactical nuke.
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The 2025 Nominees: Who Almost Made It?
Last year’s voting results (the 2024-25 season) gave us a glimpse into how the media is thinking. While Pritchard dominated, the other nba sixth man of the year winners & nominees showed the depth of the league.
- Malik Beasley (Detroit Pistons): He was the runner-up. He actually averaged more points than Pritchard, but the Pistons weren't winning. That’s the new rule: if your team is at the bottom of the lottery, your bench scoring doesn't mean as much to the voters.
- Ty Jerome (Cleveland Cavaliers): A surprise finalist. He was the glue for a Cavs team that stayed competitive even when their backcourt was banged up.
- De'Andre Hunter (Atlanta/Cleveland): Hunter has always been a "tweener"—is he a starter or a reserve? Last year, his efficiency off the bench was so high it forced him into the conversation.
The "Star" Sixth Man
We can't talk about this award without mentioning James Harden or Manu Ginóbili. Manu is basically the patron saint of the Sixth Man. He could have started for every other team in the league. He chose to come off the bench for the Spurs because it was better for the team.
Harden won it in 2012 with OKC before he became the "Beard" in Houston. It’s a reminder that this award often goes to future superstars who are just waiting for their turn.
Why the Rules Actually Matter
To be eligible, a player has to come off the bench in more games than he starts. Simple, right?
Not really.
Injuries usually mess this up. A guy is playing great off the bench, the starting point guard tears a meniscus, and suddenly our "Sixth Man" is starting for two months. If he starts 42 games in an 82-game season, he’s ineligible. This happened to Immanuel Quickley a few years back and it's currently the biggest hurdle for guys like De'Andre Hunter or Jaime Jaquez Jr.
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Jaquez Jr. has been incredible for Miami this year. He’s currently one of the favorites, but he’s right on that edge of starting too many games because of the Heat’s "injury-prone" roster.
Key Stats to Watch for 2026 Nominees
If you’re trying to spot the next winner, stop looking at points per game. Look at these:
- Net Rating: Does the team get better when the bench comes in?
- Clutch Minutes: Is the player on the floor in the final five minutes?
- True Shooting Percentage: Efficiency is king. Taking 20 shots to get 18 points won't win you the Havlicek Trophy anymore.
How to Spot the Value
If you're following the race for the nba sixth man of the year winners & nominees, keep an eye on the "true" bench warriors. Guys like Anthony Black in Orlando or Reed Sheppard in Houston. These are young players who are thriving in specific roles without the ego of needing to start.
The narrative usually shifts in March. That's when a player on a 50-win team has a "moment"—a 30-point outburst on national TV—that sticks in the voters' minds.
To really understand the impact of a sixth man, watch the first three minutes of the second quarter. That is when the game is won or lost. While the superstars are resting, the guys on this list are the ones actually keeping the season alive.
Check the box scores for "Bench Points" vs. "Plus/Minus" for the Spurs and Timberwolves over the next month. If Keldon Johnson keeps his efficiency above 40% from deep while the Spurs stay in the top four of the West, he's the person to beat. For those looking at long shots, keep an eye on Ajay Mitchell in Oklahoma City; he's playing way beyond his years for a Thunder team that is currently destroying everyone.
Next Steps for Following the Race:
- Track the "Games Started" count: Ensure your favorite candidate hasn't crossed the 50% threshold, which would disqualify them.
- Monitor Team Win Totals: Historical data shows that 6MOY winners almost always come from teams with 50+ wins.
- Watch the "Closing Five": See if the candidate is on the floor during the last four minutes of tight games, as this is a massive indicator of voter preference.