The NBA has officially announced its first award of the season: the Sixth Man of the Year. Payton Pritchard of the Boston Celtics has been named the winner.
Related: Watch: Fan shares funny video of Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla
Pritchard had a great season coming off the bench for Boston. He averaged 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and seemed to make all of the hustle plays for his team.
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After winning a championship last season, adding the Sixth Man of the Year trophy to his mantle will be a nice touch. Pritchard spoke about what winning the award means to him.
“I feel like every year, you get a little bit better,” Pritchard said. “So I hope that… I’ve gotten better than I was last year. So if that means I’m stronger, more in shape, better basketball IQ.
“I’ve just been through it now, so I understand what it takes and what this team needs. I’m not saying it’s going to be scoring every night, but just this level of physicality, picking up the ball. This intensity, that’s what needs to be there every night.”
Pritchard’s improvement is undeniable, and his performance has positioned the Celtics for another shot at the title.
Congratulations from the Ball Exclusives team.
