The Fierce Five: NBA’s Top 5 Sixth Men

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.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Will Barton

Probably the least known player on this list, Barton of the Denver Nuggets is making a strong case for 6^th man of the year. Averaging 15.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists.

4. Ryan Anderson

Ryan Anderson is a sixth man who plays as many minutes as most starters. Anderson has given the Pelicans solid depth and a reliable scoring option when the first team is off the court. Although he’s not typically what is thought of for sixth man, he plays his role well and could help his team into the playoffs this season.

5. Andre Iguodala

Andre Iguodala is not a prolific scorer. Iguodala is not a guy who lights up the stat book. But what Iggy does is make plays on offense and defends against the opposing team’s best players. He is not the most talented guy on this list, and certainly does not have the best stats, but may very well be the most important player to his respective team.

After reading this list, many will say well none of these guys are the most important players on their team. But that is simply not true. Although they may not put up the best numbers, or garner the most attention, they may very well be the most important. The best evidence to that is the Golden State Warriors Finals with over the Cavs last year. Although nobody in their right mind would argue that Andre Iguodala was the best player on the court, he was voted as the most valuable. That is the power of a sixth man.

–Michael Hersey