Ranking the Candidates for NBA 6th Man of the Year

Carmelo Anthony of the Portland Trail Blazers in 2018. Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

No team would be complete without an exuberant sixth man off the bench to provide energy when they need it most. The Sixth Man of the Year Award is given every season, and this year we have a handful of interesting candidates. Here are our rankings of who’s leading the pack so far.

5. Carmelo Anthony

He was once one of the best players in the league, and now he’s learned how to evolve into a role player. Carmelo Anthony is finding all kinds of ways to contribute off the bench, and the Portland Trailblazers thriving as a result.

4. Tyler Herro

When the season started, our last memory of Tyler Herro was his incredible performance for the Miami Heat in the 2020 playoffs. He hasn’t slowed down in the slightest, making him a huge threat to win this award.

3. Tim Hardaway Jr.

The Dallas Mavericks have immensely benefited from having Tim Hardaway Jr. on their squad. When he started coming off the bench, they started winning games rapidly. It’s almost like he was built to attack other teams’ reserve squads.

2. Montrezl Harrell

Montrezl Harrell has already won this award, but he just might do it again. He’s serving as a major piece in the Los Angeles Lakers reserve squad, and he’s putting up double-doubles like they’re nothing.

1. Jordan Clarkson

One of the main reasons for the Utah Jazz’s success has been Jordan Clarkson. He’s been averaging a career-high 18.2 points a game and is right now a lock to win this award. As long as he keeps it up, it’ll be hard for someone else to catch him.

Eitan is a songwriter, Lakers fan, and second-place winner at a Harry Potter trivia night. He enjoys writing about travel, sports, food, and geek culture.