Minnesota ahead Naz Reid was named the 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the 12 months on Wednesday night time, changing into the primary Timberwolves participant to win the award.
Reid, 24, averaged profession highs of 13.5 factors and 5.2 rebounds to assist Minnesota end with the second-best report in franchise historical past (56-26) and clinch the third seed within the Western Convention.
He additionally grew to become the third undrafted participant to win the award, together with John Starks (1997) and Darrell Armstrong (1999).
“Blessed to be on this state of affairs,” Reid, one in all six gamers to win the award earlier than the age of 25, mentioned in an interview on TNT.
“It is particular,” Reid mentioned of his relationship with the followers in Minnesota, the place he has spent his complete profession to this point. “It is one in all a sort, one thing that you just clearly dream of, particularly on the highest degree. They’ve seen me work since Day 1. … I feel simply being with me, that is tremendous particular.”
Reid simply edged out Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk, who completed second. Reid and Monk had the identical variety of second-place (39) and third-place (10) votes, with the 10-point distinction (352 to 342) coming right down to Reid getting 45 first-place votes, in comparison with 43 for Monk.
Based on NBA Communications, the 10-point distinction between Reid and Monk was the smallest margin in NBA Sixth Man of the 12 months balloting underneath the present voting format, which started with the 2002-03 season.
The opposite finalist, Milwaukee Bucks ahead Bobby Portis, was a distant third with 5 first-place votes and 82 whole factors. LA Clippers guard Norman Powell (two first-place votes) completed fourth, whereas Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanović acquired 5 first-place votes to complete fifth and spherical out the gamers to obtain at the very least one first-place vote.
Monk, 26, averaged 15.4 factors and 5.1 assists — each profession highs — this season, enjoying alongside school teammate De’Aaron Fox and serving to energy Sacramento to 46 wins and its second consecutive profitable season — the ninth total for the Kings since transferring to Sacramento from Kansas Metropolis in 1985.
Portis, 29, averaged 13.8 factors and seven.4 rebounds whereas enjoying in all 82 video games for the Bucks. It’s the third time in 4 years Portis has acquired votes for Sixth Man of the 12 months, after ending third final 12 months behind then-Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon and then-New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey on Tuesday was named the NBA’s Most Improved Participant, the primary of the league’s season-long awards to be handed out over the following couple weeks.
The league’s Clutch Participant of the 12 months award might be handed out Thursday and Coach of the 12 months on Sunday, earlier than the remaining particular person awards — Most Worthwhile Participant, Rookie of the 12 months and Defensive Participant of the 12 months — are unveiled within the coming weeks, together with the All-NBA, All-Defensive and All-Rookie groups.
