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Tim Bontemps, ESPN
Minnesota forward Naz Reid was named the 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year on Wednesday night, becoming the first Timberwolves player to win the award.
Reed, 24, averaged a career-high 13.5 points and 5.2 rebounds, helping the University of Minnesota finish with the second-best record in franchise history (56-26) and earn the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Contributed.
He also became the third undrafted player to win the award, joining John Starks (1997) and Darrell Armstrong (1999).
“We're lucky to be in this situation,” Reid said in an interview with TNT.
“It's special,” Reid said of his relationship with Minnesota fans, where he has spent his entire career. “It's unique and obviously something you dream of, especially at the highest level. They've been watching my work since day one…Just being with me, it's something very special. I think.”
Reed finished second ahead of Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk. Mr. Reed and Mr. Monk were tied for second place (39 votes) and third place (10 votes), with a difference of 10 points (352 to 342) between them, with Mr. Reed receiving 45 first place votes. , Mr. Monk received 43 votes. Monk.
According to NBA Communications, the 10-point difference between Reid and Monk was the smallest difference in NBA Sixth Man of the Year voting under the current voting format, which began in the 2002-03 season.
The other finalist, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis, was a distant third with five first-place votes and 82 total points. Norman Powell of the Los Angeles Clippers (two first-place votes) finished fourth, and Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic received five first-place votes to finish fifth and earn at least one first-place vote. We have all the players to acquire.
The 26-year-old Monk averaged 15.4 points and 5.1 assists this season — both career highs — and played alongside college teammate De'Aaron Fox to lead Sacramento to 46 wins and its second straight championship. Contributed. He moved to Sacramento from Kansas City in 1985.
Portis, 29, played in all 82 games for the Bucks, averaging 13.8 points and 7.4 rebounds. Portis will receive Sixth Man of the Year votes after finishing third last year behind then-Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon and then-New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley. This is the third time in four years.
On Tuesday, Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey was named the NBA's Most Improved Player, the first of the league's season-long awards to be presented over the coming weeks.
The league's Clutch Player of the Year award will be presented on Thursday, the Coach of the Year award will be presented on Sunday, and the remaining individual awards (Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year) will be announced in the coming weeks. , including All-NBA, All-Defensive and All-Rookie teams.
