Breaking New Ground
Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid has been named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year, defeating the Sacramento Kings’ Malik Monk. He becomes the first player in Timberwolves history to win this award.
Historic Achievement
Reid is only the third undrafted player in NBA history to receive this honor, following John Starks in the 1996-97 season and Darrell Armstrong in the 1998-99 season.
Career-High Performance
In his fifth NBA season, Reid achieved personal bests in both points and rebounds per game. He made 169 three-pointers, surpassing the combined total of 132 from his previous two seasons, with a career-high three-point shooting percentage of 41.4%. Reid’s on-court contributions were instrumental in the Timberwolves’ second-best regular-season record of 56 wins and 26 losses in franchise history.
Proud Coach
Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch released a statement, expressing pride in Reid’s achievement. He stated that Reid’s contributions this season were a key factor in the team’s success.
Acknowledging Growth
Finch highlighted Reid’s growth throughout the season and his dedication to improving his performance during the offseason as crucial factors in becoming one of the NBA’s premier bench players. He extended congratulations to Reid on behalf of the entire organization.
Voting Results
According to the NBA website, Reid received 45 first-place votes, totaling 352 points. Monk received 43 first-place votes and a total of 342 points, placing second in the voting. Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis received 5 first-place votes and a total of 81 points, ranking third in the voting. (Phlwin)