A great sixth man can turn a good team into a great one and a contending team into a champion. Many view the sixth man as someone who wasn’t good enough to make the starting rotation, but that is far from the truth. Sixth man is a position that dictates the game and commands trust from coaches and starters alike. To be a great sixth man, you must be a leader, a scorer and a playmaker.
We’ve seen NBA stars start as sixth men like James Harden or the great Kevin McHale. We’ve also seen players like Manu Ginobili come into the league as starters, but places into the sixth man role. No matter how they got there or where they ended up, one thing is for certain, sixth men win championships. Here’s a list of the top 5 sixth men in the NBA.
- Victor Oladipo
Oladipo is flourishing since making the transition from starter to sixth man. This two-way player brings both energy and scoring ability to the court when the starters take a breather and the second team comes to the court.
- Manu Ginobili
Manu has been doing it for years, and although there’s some new talent in San Antonio, Ginobili is still king of the bench. Though much of what he does is not included in the score book, Ginobili provides a spark, as well as leadership off of the bench.
- Will Barton
Probably the least known player on this list, Barton of the Denver Nuggets is making a strong case for 6th man of the year. Averaging 15.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists.
