Every NBA team usually has a core starting lineup that comprises its five best players. However, the rigors of a season mean that those five need all the help they can get from their bench unit. As a result, the NBA honors the best bench player in the entire league for a season with the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.
The 6MOY has been in existence since 1982-83, when Bobby Jones won it for the first time. Over the years, multiple Hall of Famers have taken home the prize, with many multi-time winners also adorning the list. In 2022-23, the NBA renamed the award to be called the John Havlicek Award after the Boston Celtics legend.
Every NBA Sixth Man of the Year Winner in History
Below is the complete chronological list of every NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award winner from 1983 to 2025:
- 1983: Bobby Jones (Philadelphia 76ers)
- 1984: Kevin McHale (Boston Celtics)
- 1985: Kevin McHale (Boston Celtics)
- 1986: Bill Walton (Boston Celtics)
- 1987: Ricky Pierce (Milwaukee Bucks)
- 1988: Roy Tarpley (Dallas Mavericks)
- 1989: Eddie Johnson (Phoenix Suns)
- 1990: Ricky Pierce (Milwaukee Bucks)
- 1991: Detlef Schrempf (Indiana Pacers)
- 1992: Detlef Schrempf (Indiana Pacers)
- 1993: Clifford Robinson (Portland Trail Blazers)
- 1994: Dell Curry (Charlotte Hornets)
- 1995: Anthony Mason (New York Knicks)
- 1996: Toni Kukoč (Chicago Bulls)
- 1997: John Starks (New York Knicks)
- 1998: Danny Manning (Phoenix Suns)
- 1999: Darrell Armstrong (Orlando Magic)
- 2000: Rodney Rogers (Phoenix Suns)
- 2001: Aaron McKie (Philadelphia 76ers)
- 2002: Corliss Williamson (Detroit Pistons)
- 2003: Bobby Jackson (Sacramento Kings)
- 2004: Antawn Jamison (Dallas Mavericks)
- 2005: Ben Gordon (Chicago Bulls)
- 2006: Mike Miller (Memphis Grizzlies)
- 2007: Leandro Barbosa (Phoenix Suns)
- 2008: Manu Ginóbili (San Antonio Spurs)
- 2009: Jason Terry (Dallas Mavericks)
- 2010: Jamal Crawford (Atlanta Hawks)
- 2011: Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers)
- 2012: James Harden (Oklahoma City Thunder)
- 2013: J. R. Smith (New York Knicks)
- 2014: Jamal Crawford (Los Angeles Clippers)
- 2015: Lou Williams (Toronto Raptors)
- 2016: Jamal Crawford (Los Angeles Clippers)
- 2017: Eric Gordon (Houston Rockets)
- 2018: Lou Williams (Los Angeles Clippers)
- 2019: Lou Williams (Los Angeles Clippers)
- 2020: Montrezl Harrell (Los Angeles Clippers)
- 2021: Jordon Clarkson (Utah Jazz)
- 2022: Tyler Herro (Miami Heat)
- 2023: Malcolm Brogdon (Boston Celtics)
- 2024: Naz Reid (Minnesota Timberwolves)
- 2025: Payton Pritchard (Boston Celtics)
Among the list of winners, the likes of Kevin McHale, Toni Kukoč, Bobby Jones, Bill Walton, and Manu Ginóbili are a part of the NBA Hall of Fame, with McHale one of five players to win the award multiple times. He, alongside Lou Williams and Detlef Schempf, is also the only player to win back-to-back 6MOY Awards.
Among the teams, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Boston Celtics have the most winners with five apiece. However, the Clippers saw all five of their winners come in the 2010s, dominating the award. The Celtics, on the other hand, had their first three wins by 1986, before a 37-year drought was broken by Malcolm Brogdon in 2023.
Payton Pritchard, the 2024-25 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year!
☘️ Most 3PM in a season off the bench in NBA history (246)
☘️ Most PTS off the bench this season (1,079)@Kia | #KiaSixth pic.twitter.com/wZaDQXgDOd— NBA (@NBA) April 22, 2025
This year, they crowned their fifth winner, tying the Clippers, as Payton Pritchard took home the award after averaging 14.3 points on 40.7% shooting from 3-point territory.
