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The NBA is dominated by franchise players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry, who bear most of the scoring burden for their respective teams. Younger players and fans often prefer to emulate such players since they receive so much media attention.
But often, there are great players who don't receive the attention they deserve at all. Maybe because they aren’t starters on their teams, or maybe they are role players; whatever the reason, these players go about their business the right way but often do not receive the credit they deserve for it.
Today we look at the role player called the ‘sixth man’. Since it’s hard to agree exactly how much a player deserves the title of being an unsung hero, I’ve tried to narrow down to those with multiple sixth man of the year awards, and those that won championships while being the sixth man of the team.
Before you start complaining about the exclusion of some of our favorite players, I’ll start with the honorable mentions:
John Havlicek: He achieved his Hall of Fame statistics while coming off the bench for the majority of his illustrious career. He revolutionized the role before the award was officialized by becoming a 13-time all-star and making the all-NBA teams 11 times.
Vinnie Johnson: when you play behind Hall of Fame guards in the rotation like Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars, and still provide instant impact from the bench, no one can deny you recognition. As a member of the Bad Boy Pistons, Vinnie was often called upon to provide offense in a hurry.
#10 Dell Curry, Charlotte Hornets
Dell Curry’s longevity in the league can be attested to his ability to knock down shots from distance. Curry spent ten seasons in Charlotte, mostly coming off the bench to provide instant offense, utilizing his three-point shooting. He was consistently in the discussions for the Sixth Man honors but didn't actually win the award until 1994.
He currently ranks among the franchise's all-time statistical leaders in points, games played, three-point field goals made and attempted.
#9 Lamar Odom, Los Angeles Lakers
Lamar Odom developed into a versatile team player in his later years as a member of Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers. In the 2008-09 season, he was resolved to make his teammates happy and sacrifice his own individual numbers in the hopes of securing his first NBA championship.
His sacrifice paid off as Odom played a crucial role for the Lakers on the way to two successive championships. Meeting the requirement to come in as a reserve more games than he started, Odom was awarded the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2011, becoming the first player in Lakers history to do so. Bryant called it Odom's most "consistent season".
#8 Jason Terry, Dallas Mavericks
The Jet brought instant offense to the Dallas Mavericks en route to their first title. The combo guard knew his job in Rick Carlisle’s system and did it to perfection. His volume scoring took the pressure off Dirk Nowitzki and Caron Butler.
Terry won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in 2009 and an NBA championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. Terry ranks third on the all-time three-pointers made list. A fourth-quarter specialist, Terry had the versatility to attack not just from beyond the three-point arc but also from mid-range.
#7 Tony Kukoc, Chicago Bulls
On a star-studded team with Michael Jordan at the helm, Tony was the team's third scoring option behind Scottie Pippen. With Phil Jackson electing to bring him off the bench, he played an integral role in their second three-peat of the Bulls.
Toni Kuko? was one of the first established European stars to play in NBA. He won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1996. He is currently the last player to win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award and the NBA title in the same year
Kuko? was renowned for his versatility and passing. Although his listed position was at small forward, he had the ability to play all positions.
#6 Michael Cooper, Los Angeles Lakers
When one talks about the Showtime Lakers, the names that easily come are Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy. The integral Michael Cooper is easily forgotten because he started just 94 games in his entire career (873 games).
The 5-time champion was one of the best dunkers of the 80s as well as a stalwart defender. In a twelve-year career, he was named to the NBA All-Defensive Teams eight times, including five instances in the First Team. He won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1987.
Despite never winning the NBA Sixth Man of the Year, he is a top ten Sixth man without a doubt. He played shooting guard, small forward, and point guard while his defensive assignment was usually the other team's best shooter at the 2 or 3 positions.
#5 Andre Iguodala, Golden State Warriors
Andre Iguodala was primarily a starter and franchise player while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets and his first year at the Bay. Following the appointment of Steve Kerr as the head coach of the Warriors in the 2014-2015, Iguodala’s role was reduced to a reserve that he would thrive in.
Iguodala won an NBA championship with the Warriors in the same year, when he was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player while tasked with slowing down LeBron James. In his second year as a Sixth Man, the warriors set an NBA record for most wins in a regular season (73). He helped the Warriors return to the NBA Finals for a third straight year in 2017, winning his second NBA Championship. He is a team player and is always determined to sacrifice for his team to win. The swingman was an NBA All-Star in 2012 and has been named to the NBA All-Defensive Team twice.
#4 Detlef Schrempf, Indiana Pacers
The German-American’s shooting stood out in his career with the Indiana Pacers. Before working his way into the starting line-up, he won consecutive NBA Sixth Man Awards in 1990 and 1991.
In the 1992–93 season, he averaged scoring (19.1 ppg), rebounding (9.5 rpg) and assists (6.0 apg), and was selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game, the first of his three appearances. He was the first (and one of only two, to date, along with Dirk Nowitzki) German-born NBA player to reach the NBA Finals.
#3 Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs
The crafty Argentine playmaker made his name as one of the best sixth men in the game by helping his team to four championships. Being drafted at number 57 in the 1999 NBA draft tells us that those draft projections can never be more wrong.
In his prime, the 2-time all-star averaged 31 minutes per game while coming off the bench. Along with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, he became the NBA’s winningest trio with 541 regular season wins. He won the sixth man of the year in 2007-08 season.
#2 Kevin McHale, Boston Celtics
The Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, who played for the Celtics his entire career, is one of the best power forwards of all time. With fellow Hall of Famers on the court - Larry Bird and Robert Parish - McHale was biding his time on the bench. He came off the bench for the team for the majority of his first five seasons, winning the Sixth Man of the Year award in 1984 and 85.
McHale was a part of what many consider the league's best-ever frontline with small forward Larry Bird and center Robert Parish. They led the Celtics to five NBA Finals appearances and three NBA championships, in 1981, 1984 and 1986. He is a seven-time NBA All-Star and was named to multiple All-NBA Defensive teams.
McHale had a career average of 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting better than 55% from the field. He was chosen one of the NBA's 50 greatest players and was named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996.
#1 Jamal Crawford, Minnesota Timberwolves
Jamal Crawford has won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2010, 2014 and 2016, becoming the first three-time winner of the award in NBA history. He currently holds the record for most career four-point plays made with 50 (55 when counting the playoffs).
He was a regular starter earlier in his career for the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, and the Golden State Warriors, before Atlanta Atlanta Hawks’ coach Mike Woodson found the perfect role for him as a sixth man.
Jamaal Crawford is only behind Dell Curry in bench points,73rd in career points scored, fifth in most three-pointers made. The award should be renamed the ‘Jamal Crawford’ award since he consistently makes the shortlist.
Guess the Lakers players!
