Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. Now also known as the John Haflicek Trophy.
Pritchard averaged just over 28 minutes per game, scoring a career-high 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
His 1,079 points are any player on the bench and he also scored 255 3-pointers, fifth in the league.
In the voting results, Pritchard won 82 out of 100 votes to present the awards on tour. He is expected to face fierce competition for the Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley, but he won 13 votes with 13 votes and 66 votes.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome is third, followed by teammate De'andre Hunter and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Naz Reid. Reid was the winner of last year's award.
Minnesota's Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Denver Nuggets Guard Russell Westbrook and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso.
The qualification of the award is determined by determining the referee more frequently than the frequency at which it begins.
Pritchard may receive the award before Wednesday's match against the Orlando Magic. In 25 minutes of Game 1, he scored 19 points on eight shooting percentages, including four of six.
NBA Crew Bells on Pritchard
TNT's Inside the NBA When the decision was announced, the crew was airing, with nothing but good things about Prichard.
“It's really cool, like he built his own game,” said Charles Barkley. “He built his own game and made himself a hell of a player. You know a lot of people come in and they hyped a lot, except that kid made himself an amazing NBA player.
“You’re so glad to see awards like men.”
Pritchard adds Celtic history along with the Sixth Man Award
By winning the award, Pritchard became the fourth player to win the award by a member of the Celtics.
Kevin McHale won awards in the back-to-back seasons of 1983-84 and 84-85. Bill Walton then won the game at 85-86.
Malcolm Brogdon then won the award in 2022-23, winning a barren streak.
