5 early candidates who can win the Sixth Man Of The Year award in the 2021-22 NBA season

#3 Patty Mills (Brooklyn Nets)

Patty Mills of Team Australia celebrates with his bronze medal during the Men's Basketball medal ceremony on day fifteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Saitama Super Arena on August 07, 2021 in Sait

The one-time NBA champion Patty Mills' 10-year run with the San Antonio Spurs came to an end in August as he agreed to a two-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets worth $12 million. He was the 55th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, but barely had enough playing time, so in 2012, he made his way to the Spurs as a free agent.

Expand Tweet

The Spurs point guard is also an eligible runner for the NBA's 2021-22 Sixth Man of the Year award, having recorded 10.8 points per game coming from the bench last season. He also hit 2.4 3-pointers per game with an accuracy of 37.5% with a field goal of 41.2%. In the fourth quarter of a game against the Blazers in mid-January, Mills netted his 930th 3-pointer breaking the record set by former Spurs teammate Manu Ginobili as the most three scored by a player from the bench for a franchise.

He played a part in the Spurs 2013 championship finals and also in the 2014 NBA Championship win. He will also be key in the Nets' championship journey, playing alongside Kevin Durant and James Harden while being a backup option to Kyrie Irving.

#4 Joe Ingles (Utah Jazz)

Joe Ingles #2 of the Utah Jazz shoots over Desmond Bane #22 of the Memphis Grizzlies in Game Two of the Western Conference first-round playoff series at Vivint Smart Home Arena on May 26, 2021 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Joe Ingles was the closest competition to Clarkson last season, securing 34 first-place votes from the 100 first-place votes cast by the global panel of reporters, while Clarkson got 65 votes to clinch the award. Making it the first time two Jazz players place in the top two positions for the award and the first time in NBA history that the top two finishers are from the same team.

Ingles had a career-high 12.1 points per game, also completing 3.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists while helping the Jazz finish in top spot in the NBA Western Conference. He had a field goal percentage of .489, netting 4.1 times in 8.4 attempts from the field and an outstanding 45.1% from beyond the arc.

#5 Coby White (Chicago Bulls)

Coby White #0 of the Chicago Bulls brings the ball up the court against the Golden State Warriors at the United Center on December 27, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. The Warriors defeated the Bulls 129-128.

Coby White is the first player out of the University of North Carolina since Michael Jordan to be drafted in the first round by the Chicago Bulls. He was the 7th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Coming off the bench, White made his debut in the NBA in a point-loss game against the Charlotte Hornets (126-125). He recorded 17 points on the board, 3 rebounds and 7 assists in that game and became the first player that was born in the 2000s to feature in an NBA game.

Expand Tweet

Last season, the 6-foot 5-inch Bulls' point guard averaged 15.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. He also had a field goal of 41.6%, finding the hoop 5.4 times from the field in 13.1 attempts. He is expected to top his performance and make a bigger impact for the Bulls coming off the bench in the coming season.