Celtics’ Guard Payton Pritchard Wins Coveted Sixth Man of the Year

Apr 20, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Fans cheer after a three point basket by Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) during the second half against the Orlando Magic at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Boston Celtics star guard Payton Pritchard has won the 2024-25 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.

Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard has won the 2024-25 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 22, 2025

Pritchard was named a finalist for the award on Sunday. He beat out other stellar bench players, including Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasly and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome.

The 27-year-old guard was viewed as the front-runner for the award all season long, and many expected him to take home the award. That became a reality on Tuesday, and Pritchard deserves it.

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Pritchard has become a vital piece in the Celtics’ rotation, contributing meaningful minutes for a team widely regarded as the championship favorite. As Boston continues its pursuit of an NBA-record 19th title, his impact off the bench will be crucial to their postseason run.

Throughout the regular season, Pritchard consistently produced. He scored 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and nearly a steal per game while shooting an efficient 47.2 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from beyond the arc across 80 games, averaging 28.4 minutes per contest.

His production has seen a noticeable uptick across the board, leaving little doubt that this has been the most impressive season of his career to date. Pritchard's play this season has been huge for himself and his team, as he's done his part to lead Boston to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.

His first playoff game of the 2025 postseason got off to the right foot. In the Game 1 victory over the Orlando Magic, Pritchard did his thing, recording 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field and three assists in 25 minutes of action.

Pritchard's play will be vital for the Celtics' hopes of bringing another championship to Boston. If he can continue stepping up on offense and hitting timely shots, the Celtics will be the last team standing again.

Pritchard has spent his entire NBA career in Boston after being selected 26th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Oregon. He owns career averages of 9.1 points, 2.7 boards, and 2.5 dimes per game.

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