In the middle of a playoff run, Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon walked away with some hardware Thursday night.
Brogdon edged out New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley and Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis to be named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. Brogdon became just the third Celtics player ever to capture the award, joining two-time winner Kevin McHale and Bill Walton.
Brogdon’s teammates, who have campaigned for him to be the Sixth Man of the Year, were especially thrilled to see the seventh-year pro obtain the honor.
“Big time! My teammate!” Marcus Smart tweeted.
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens orchestrated the trade with the Indiana Pacers this past offseason to bring Brogdon to Boston, but didn’t take a self-aggrandizing victory lap. Instead, he showered Brogdon with plenty of praise as the veteran came onto the Celtics and quickly accepted a role off the bench. After starting in every game he played in the last four seasons, Brogdon wasn’t in the starting lineup once over 67 games this season.
“From day one, Malcolm has eagerly embraced his role as a game changer off the bench,” Stevens said in a statement. “His emphasis on winning has been reflected daily in his work, his play, and his selflessness. Malcolm winning the award named after John Havlicek, an all-time Celtic, could not be more appropriate.”
Brogdon has certainly flourished during his first season with the Celtics and gave them a piece they didn’t have last year during their journey to the NBA Finals. Brogdon totaled 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists — all are ranked in the top three in the NBA for players who didn’t get a single start — while also shooting a blistering 44.4% from beyond the arc.
Now, the new Sixth Man of the Year will look to keep making a difference for the Celtics in the postseason.
