Of all of the awards, the sixth man is my favorite. Sure the
league MVP receives the most prestige, the Offensive and Defensive players are
the best players on the court 50% of the time, the Rookie of the Year showcases
the future, and the most Improved player of the year shows desire, but the
Sixth Man of the Year award exemplifies the best team player. The sixth man
doesn’t refuse to play because he is not starting, nor does he take plays off.
The majority of the time, the person who wins this award could start on several
teams, but for one reason or another has be relegated to watching the beginning
of the action from the bench. Look at what James Harden has accomplished after
winning 6th man of the year last year with Oklahoma City. As a
starter this year and leader for the Houston Rockets, he lead the team with
25.9 points per game while also averaging 26.3 ppg in the post season.
Last night, the Warriors lost a game at the hand of one of
the best 6th men in NBA history. Emanuel Ginobili, better known as Manu, has been
basically a perennial bench player with one full and healthy season as a
starter during his 14 year NBA career. Every year, though, he has been a big
factor for them. Last night he proved just how important he is by hitting a
beautiful game winner to take game 1 in the playoffs. It goes to show that just
because someone does not start, they are not necessarily a bad player. Below
are the top ten best NBA players to have won the 6th man award
(followed by the rest of the award winners) since its inception in the 82-83
season.
1)
Kevin McHale- Considered by
some to be the best true Power Forward in NBA history, he was elected to the
NBA Hall of Fame after an NBA career that most desire. Not only did he have an
arsenal of moves and a great stroke (Tenth in NBA history with a career
field-goal percentage of 55.4%), he was one of the most feared defenders in the
game. He averaged an astounding 17.9 PPG, had 17,335 points, blocked 1689
shots, and is among the Celtics career leaders in several categories. Career
Highlights and Awards-2x Sixth Man of the Year, 7x All-Star, All-NBA First
Team, 3x All-Defensive First Team, 3x All-Defensive Second Team, All-Rookie
First Team, 3x Champion, and 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
2) Bill Walton- This
basketball player turned hippie-or other way around- is only 1 of two players
on this list to be elected to the HOF. With an astounding career field goal
percentage over 50%, 6215 points, 1034 blocks, and 13.3 PPG, he was an absolute
beast. Career Highlights and Awards- Sixth Man of the Year, 2x All-Star, League
MVP, Finals MVP, All-NBA first team, All- NBA Second Team, 2x Defensive Player
of the Year, and 2x Champion.
4) Eddie Johnson- No one in
NBA history has been snubbed like him as the only accolade he received was the
Sixth Man of the Year award while putting up staggering numbers. His 19,202 points over his career is higher
than all but 17 players in the Hall of Fame and his 16.0 PPG is higher than a
lot of the other players on this list. He also added 2550 assists and 4832
rebounds. Where is the love?
6) Manu Ginobili-The
Argentinean sensation has quietly amassed a great career as a perennial sixth
man for a team that never seems to get enough attention yet always vies for the
championship. He has averaged 14.9 PPG, 4 assists per game, and has amassed
almost 11,000 points in a career that is not over. Career Highlights and
Awards-Sixth Man of the Year, All-Rookie Second Team, 2x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Third Team, and 3x
Champion
7) Ricky Pierce- He was a
shooting guru, hitting 75 consecutive free throws at one point, and averaged
14.9 PPG for his career. In fact, he holds the highest average of ppg in a
season by a non-starter (23). Career Highlights and Awards- 2x Sixth Man of the
Year, All-Star
8) Cliff Robinson- An iron man
of the sport, he played in the 7th most games in NBA History at the
time of his retirement (1380) and had some serious shooting range for a big
man. Unlike so many other professional athletes, it was a rarity when he did
not go to the playoffs making it 17 times over 18 years. He averaged 14.2 PPG
and had over 6000 rebounds. Career Highlights and Awards- Sixth Man of the
Year, All-Star, 2x All-Defensive Second Team
9) Antawn Jamison- His stellar
college career has seemed to overshadow what has turned out to be a great NBA
Career. While in the NBA, he has averaged 18.8 PPG and 7.6 rebounds. Career
Highlights and Awards- Sixth Man of the Year, 2x NBA All-Star, All-Rookie
Second Team
10) Danny Manning-He was a
college legend who had a decent career in the NBA that was hampered by knee
injuries. He averaged a respectable 14 PPG, averaged 2.3 assists per game, and
averaged 1.1 steals per game. Career Highlights and Awards- NBA Sixth Man of
the Year, 2x NBA All-Star
Other Players who won the Award
11)
John Starks
12)
James Harden
13)
Roy Tarplay
14)
Dell Curry
15)
Jason Terry
16)
Anthony Mason
17)
Tony Kukoc
18)
Corliss Williamson
19)
Darrell Armstrong
20)
Lamar Odom
21)
Rodney Rogers
22)
Mike Miller
23)
Ben Gordon
24)
J.R. Smith
25)
Bobby Jackson
26)
Aaron McKie
27)
Jamal Crawford
28)
Leandro Barbosa
- Kyle
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