Malcolm Brogdon has won the NBA's 2022-23 Sixth Man of the Year award, the league announced on Thursday. This is not the first major award that Brogdon has won in the NBA. In 2017, he took home the league's Rookie of the Year award over Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid.
He did that as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, his team for the first three seasons of his career. He went on to spend the next three years with the Indiana Pacers. In all six of those seasons, he served as at least a part-time starter. However, he was dealt to Boston in the offseason with the expectation that he would become a full-time reserve for the first time in his career.
He has thrived in that role for the Celtics. Brogdon averaged 14.9 points and 3.7 assists per game while shooting a remarkable 44.4% from 3-point range. More importantly, he gave a Celtics team that sorely needed spare ball-handling after their offense sputtered in the playoffs fa true point guard to turn to in key moments.
Still, he faced stiff competition from New York Knicks reserve Immanuel Quickley. While Brogdon was among the award's favorites for most of the season, Quickley came on strong in February and March and actually seized the title of betting favorite for a good chunk of the remainder of the season.
But a late push by Brogdon coupled with Quickley's role as a fill-in starter during many of his best games ultimately swung the voters towards the Boston veteran. The win is a nice feather in Brogdon's cap, but his goal is ultimately grander than an individual award. Brogdon made it clear when he landed in Boston that he expected to compete for a championship. Now he has the chance to do so. The Celtics wouldn't be where they are today without their Sixth Man of the Year.
Milwaukee's Bobby Portis was the third finalist for the award alongside Brogdon and Quickley.
