The 2025 NBA Playoffs are in full swing, which means NBA Awards season is officially here, too. The first honor announced, Sixth Man of the Year, has now seen a winner crowned.
Thanks to a spectacular season off the bench, Celtics guard Payton Pritchard will a new award to his trophy case after taking home Sixth Man of the Year honors in a landslide.
The results are posted below, courtesy of NBA Public Relations.
Pritchard was once considered a long-shot to win the award — prior to the season’s start, he was listed at +8000 in the Sixth Man of the Year futures market on DraftKings Sportsbook. One sharp bettor placed a $441.60 wager on Pritchard to earn the honor back in October 2024. They’re likely very happy now, having cashed their bet to the tune of a $35,328 payout following the guard’s selection.
Other finalists for the NBA’s top bench honor included Detroit’s Malik Beasley and Cleveland’s Ty Jerome.
However, Pritchard’s contributions for the Celtics stood out to voters over the competition. The 27-year old averaged 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game over an 80-game sample during the regular season. In addition to his counting-stat production, the guard’s shooting splits remain impressive — he shot 47.2% from the field on 10.8 shots per game, plus an efficient 40.7% from three-point range and 84.5% from the free-throw line. His dependability played a major role in the Celtics’ run to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and a 61-21 regular-season finish.
