Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon has been named the 2022-23 NBA Most Valuable Player, the NBA announced today.
Brogdon became the third Celtic team to win the league’s annual title, joining Kevin McHale (1984, 1985) and Bill Walton (1986).
“From day one, Malcolm has eagerly embraced his role as a game-changer off the bench,” said Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations. “His focus on winning is reflected daily in his work, his theatrics and selflessness. Malcolm winning the award named after Celtic’s all-time player John Havlicek, couldn’t be more fitting.”
In the 41 years since the award was created in 1982, only eight other players have won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in their first season with their team.
Brogdon was the only player in the NBA rankings in the top three in scoring, rebounding and assists among players who did not start in a regular season game as he finished with 14.9 points (1st), 4.2 rebounds (3rd) and 3.7 assists (2nd).
Brogdon finished the year ranked fourth in the NBA in three-point percentage with a single-season high of 44.4 percent from outside the arc. Ray Allen (2010-11) is tied for the third-best single-season three-point percentage by a Celtic since 1979 behind Allen’s 2011-12 season (45.3%) and Al Horford this season (44.6%).
As an NBA reserve, Brogdon ranked first in minutes played (1,743.8), second in field goals (354), third in total points (1,000) and clutch points (42), and fourth in assists (248). Brogdon became the fourth player in Celtics history to score at least 1,000 points in a single season off the bench, behind Ricky Davis in 2004-05 (1,121 points) and Kevin McHale twice, in 1989-90 (1,109) and 1990-91 (1,031). .
The Georgia native earned his third NBA honor, including winning the 2016-2017 NBA Rookie of the Year Award and the 2019-20 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award.
The Sixth Man of the Year award honors Celtics Hall of Famer John Havlicek, who excelled off the bench like no player before him. Havlicek came off the bench for the first seven seasons of his career and was an All-Star in four of those seasons. His career highlights include eight NBA Championships, 13 NBA All-Star selections, 11 NBA Team selections, an NBA Finals MVP selection, eight NBA All-Defensive Team selections, and inclusion in the league’s 35, 50, and 75 teams.