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Who are the top sixth men in NBA history? Here is our top 10 countdown:
10. Vinnie Johnson: nicknamed “Microwave” for his instant offense, Johnson averaged double-digit scoring in nine of his 10 season with the Detroit Pistons, winning back-to-back titles as the sixth man of the “Bad Boys” teams of the 1980s.
9. Ricky Pierce: with three consecutive seasons of 20+ points per game and an All-Star selection in his prime (1990-1991), Pierce averaged 14.9 points per game for his career and won Sixth Man of the Year twice with the Milwaukee Bucks.
8. Toni Kukoc: one of the first European-born NBA stars, Kukoc was a superstar in the EuroLeague before coming over to the Chicago Bulls; as a Bull, he was a Sixth Man of the Year and the third scoring option on the second three-peat teams.
7. Detlef Schrempf: before starring with the Seattle Supersonics in the mid-1990s, Schrempf was a versatile all-around contributor off the bench for the Indiana Pacers, winning back-to-back Sixth Man of the Year Awards at the start of the decade.
6. Michael Cooper: the defensive lynchpin of the 1980s “Showtime Lakers” that won five NBA titles, Cooper was not much of a scorer (career average of 8.9 points per game), but a lockdown defender who earned eight All-Defensive selections and was named 1986-1987 Defensive Player of the Year.
5. Jamal Crawford: the first player in NBA history to win Sixth Man of the Year 3x, Crawford averaged double-digit scoring for 16 straight years, including twice with 18+ points per game coming off the bench.
4. Lou Williams: tied with Jamal Crawford for the most Sixth Man of the Year Awards (3x), Williams is a dynamic scoring spark off the bench, putting up 20+ points per game (including a career-best 22.6 points per game in 2017-2018) in back-to-back Sixth Man of the Year campaigns with the Los Angeles Clippers.
3. Manu Ginobili: part of the San Antonio Spurs’ “Big Three” alongside Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, Ginobili was an incredibly versatile and clutch player, alternating between All-Star-caliber starter and super-sub (2007-2008 Sixth Man of the Year) while helping the Spurs to four NBA titles.
2. Kevin McHale: together with Larry Bird and Robert Parish, McHale helped lead the Boston Celtics to three NBA titles in the 1980s; individually, he was an elite all-around performer: 7x All-Star, All-NBA, 6x All-Defensive, and 2x Sixth Man of the Year.
1. John Havlicek: the original sixth man, Havlicek is the Celtics’ all-time leading scorer and was a part of eight championship teams; during his career, he was a 13x All-Star, 11x All-NBA, and 8x All-Defensive.
Agree/Disagree? As always, debate/discuss, and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Note: All statistics as of time of publication.
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