Payton Pritchard Wins NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award

BOSTON, MA — Payton Pritchard of the Boston Celtics has won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award for his outstanding performance during the 2023-24 season. Pritchard secured the prestigious honor by receiving 82 of 100 first-place votes and accumulating a total of 454 points in the voting results, far surpassing his competition.

The award, now known as the John Havlicek trophy, highlights Pritchard’s impressive season where he averaged a career-high 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. His scoring prowess off the bench contributed significantly to his team’s success as he logged just over 28 minutes per game.

Pritchard outperformed Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley, who finished second with 279 points, and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome in third place. ‘What’s really cool about that situation, like, he built his game,’ said Charles Barkley on TNT’s Inside The NBA. ‘That kid made himself a terrific NBA player.’

In addition to Pritchard, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Naz Reid and teammate Nickeil Alexander-Walker received recognition in the voting. Reid finished fifth with 31 total points, having also won the award last season, while Alexander-Walker was sixth. Reid averaged 14.2 points and 6.0 rebounds in 80 games this season.

Other players who received votes included Russell Westbrook from the Denver Nuggets and Alex Caruso from the Oklahoma City Thunder. By winning this award, Pritchard has joined an exclusive group of Celtics players, becoming the fourth to achieve this honor in the franchise’s history.