# The 31 Greatest Sixth Men in NBA History

> Hall of Famers who accepted a bench role share this list with pure instant-offense specialists, and the order is far from settled.

*By YPB Team · Published November 9, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-31-greatest-sixth-men-in-nba-history*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Darrell Armstrong** — score 1000/1000
   Orlando Magic guard who won Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player in the same season, 1999.
2. **Antawn Jamison** — score 954/1000
   Forward who won the 2004 Sixth Man of the Year award in his only season with the Dallas Mavericks.
3. **Manu Ginóbili** — score 930/1000
   Argentine guard who won four championships with the San Antonio Spurs and the 2008 Sixth Man of the Year award.
4. **Michael Cooper** — score 930/1000
   Los Angeles Lakers reserve guard who won five championships and the 1987 Defensive Player of the Year award.
5. **Jason Terry** — score 818/1000
   Dallas Mavericks guard who won the 2009 Sixth Man of the Year award and the 2011 championship.
6. **Eric Gordon** — score 818/1000
   Houston Rockets guard who won the 2017 Sixth Man of the Year award and that year's Three-Point Contest.
7. **Naz Reid** — score 818/1000
   Undrafted big man who became Minnesota's first Sixth Man of the Year in 2024.
8. **Vinnie Johnson** — score 734/1000
   Pistons guard nicknamed "The Microwave" who came off the bench for Detroit's 1989 and 1990 championship teams.
9. **Andre Iguodala** — score 734/1000
   Golden State Warriors forward who won the 2015 Finals MVP without starting a single regular-season game that season.
10. **John Havlicek** — score 734/1000
   Celtics Hall of Famer who began his career as Boston's sixth man and won eight championships with the franchise.
11. **Ricky Pierce** — score 734/1000
   Milwaukee Bucks guard who won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in 1987 and 1990.
12. **Tyler Herro** — score 636/1000
   Miami Heat guard who won the 2022 Sixth Man award in his third NBA season.
13. **Kevin McHale** — score 636/1000
   Boston Celtics forward who won Sixth Man of the Year in 1984 and 1985 and three championships with Boston.
14. **Ben Gordon** — score 636/1000
   Chicago Bulls guard who won the 2005 Sixth Man of the Year award, the first rookie to win it.
15. **Detlef Schrempf** — score 636/1000
   German forward who won Sixth Man of the Year in back-to-back seasons, 1991 and 1992, with the Indiana Pacers.
16. **James Harden** — score 636/1000
   Won the 2012 Sixth Man of the Year award with Oklahoma City before becoming a starter and the 2018 MVP in Houston.
17. **Lamar Odom** — score 636/1000
   Los Angeles Lakers forward who won the 2011 Sixth Man of the Year award after titles with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010.
18. **Lou Williams** — score 636/1000
   Three-time Sixth Man of the Year (2015, 2018, 2019) who retired as the NBA's career leader in points scored off the bench.
19. **Bobby Jones** — score 520/1000
   Philadelphia 76ers forward who won the first Sixth Man of the Year award in 1983, the season Philadelphia won the title.
20. **Mike Miller** — score 520/1000
   Memphis Grizzlies forward who won the 2006 Sixth Man of the Year award and later two titles with Miami.
21. **Jordan Clarkson** — score 520/1000
   Utah Jazz guard who claimed the 2021 Sixth Man award in his second season in Utah.
22. **Dell Curry** — score 520/1000
   Shooting guard who spent ten seasons in Charlotte and was named 1994 Sixth Man of the Year.
23. **Frank Ramsey** — score 382/1000
   Boston Celtics forward of the 1950s and 1960s, often credited as the first great sixth man, who won seven championships.
24. **Bill Walton** — score 382/1000
   Hall of Fame center who won the 1986 Sixth Man of the Year award and that season's championship as a Celtics reserve.
25. **Toni Kukoč** — score 382/1000
   Croatian forward who won the 1996 Sixth Man of the Year award and three straight championships with the Chicago Bulls.
26. **J.R. Smith** — score 382/1000
   New York Knicks guard who won the 2013 Sixth Man of the Year award and later the 2016 title with Cleveland.
27. **Montrezl Harrell** — score 382/1000
   Energetic Clippers big man whose 2019-20 bench scoring earned the Sixth Man trophy.
28. **Malcolm Brogdon** — score 382/1000
   2017 Rookie of the Year with Milwaukee who added Sixth Man of the Year in 2023 with Boston.
29. **Payton Pritchard** — score 382/1000
   Boston Celtics guard voted 2025 Sixth Man of the Year in his fifth season with the club.
30. **Jamal Crawford** — score 0/1000
   Scoring guard who won Sixth Man of the Year three times, in 2010 with Atlanta and in 2014 and 2016 with the Clippers.
31. **Leandro Barbosa** — score 0/1000
   Brazilian guard who won the 2007 Sixth Man of the Year award with Phoenix and the 2015 title with Golden State.

Tags: sports, basketball, players, nba, sixth man