Malcolm Brogdon is named the 2023 NBA Sixth Man of the Year from Kia.
the New York KnicksEmmanuel Kwikli was largely considered his closest rival with the Milwaukee BucksBobby Portis was also named a 6MOTY Finalist. In the end, Brogdon had 60 first-place votes with Quickley getting 34 and Portis 6.
Here are the numbers from the team’s official PR release:
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%).
“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 Hondo’s first seven seasons in Boston, he came off the bench as an NBA All-Star player for four straight years until he joined the starting lineup. Red Auerbach is credited with popularizing the use of a designated sixth man in order to get a boost off the bench and have a versatile player with the second unit. Brogdon becomes apt First player to win the honor after being renamed Havlicek and the third Celtic to win the award, joining Kevin McHale (1984, 1985) and Bill Walton (1986) and a long list of debutants to wear the green uniform.
At the end of the regular season, Brogdon spoke candidly about playing his first season in Boston as a sixth man and the sacrifices he made.
“Coming off the bench, it can be a challenge at times, to be honest. You have a career where you start your entire career and then you come off the bench, there are nights you have to suck it up,” Brogdon said.
“You’re not going to score as much or play as much, but I think that’s what makes a great team, having guys who can do that, and having guys who can sacrifice. Because it’s not me who sacrifices every night. Every night, it’s a different guy.”
It’s this mentality that fortified the defending Eastern Conference champions and got them heading even better into the playoffs – all according to plan if you ask Brogdon.
“That’s it for me,” Brogdon said of being part of a competitor. “I want to win. The two seasons for me (at Indiana State) have been hard not being able to win. I’m a winner. I feel like I’m known for winning, I want to be a winner when I’m done playing in this league, I want to win at the highest level and that’s winning the championship.”
“Being Boston, being Celtic suits me just fine.”