NBA Names 2025 Sixth Man of the Year Finalists

The finalists for the NBA’s 2025 Sixth Man of the Year award have been revealed. Payton Pritchard, Malik Beasley, and Ty Jerome are the three players in the running. All three players have had excellent seasons, coming off the bench as the pivotal sixth man and contributing to the success of playoff teams. Pritchard and Jerome have reached career highs in scoring, and Beasley has become one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA. Pritchard is the current favorite to win the award, but the finalists have all had incredible years.

Payton Pritchard

Pritchard has been a sparkplug for the Boston Celtics all season. Due to injuries, he’s taken on a larger role compared to previous years and has taken advantage of the opportunity. He’s averaged a career-high 14.3 points per game, including a career-high 43 points against the Portland Trailblazers. His quickness allows him to create separation, and when his three-point shot catches fire, there aren’t many better.

As the Celtics’ sixth man, Pritchard has fit in well with the team. He can be a shooter with the starters on the floor and can help run the offense during the bench minutes. There are questions about his production during the playoffs, as his size may make him a liability against stronger defenses. But in Boston’s first playoff game, he scored 19 points off the bench in a win over the Orlando Magic.

Ty Jerome

Jerome has had a revitalizing season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. After bouncing around the NBA, from the Phoenix Suns to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors, he has found a role as Cleveland’s sixth man. Jerome averaged a career-high 12.5 points per game for the Cavaliers. He has been an efficient playmaker off the bench, shooting 51.6% from the field and 43.9% from three. In the Cavaliers’ elite offense, he has fit like a glove.

Before this season, Jerome had gone from team to team with little playing time before signing a cheap, two-year deal with Cleveland. He rarely played in the first year of that deal, but this year he has earned his spot and will be due a pay raise when his contract expires. In their first playoff game, Jerome was exceptional in the Cavaliers‘ victory over the Miami Heat. He scored 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting with five three-pointers.

Malik Beasley

Like Jerome, Beasley has also bounced around the league before finding a role as the Detroit Pistons’ sixth man. He finished second in the NBA in three-pointers made this season with a career-high 319 at 41.6%. Beasley has gone from team to team on one-year contracts over the past four seasons. He signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Pistons. He has maximized his value. He has always been a three-point shooter, but the level and volume he reached in Detroit this season were on another level.

This season, Beasley was given a role: come off the bench and shoot threes. He has done that and done it well. During the regular season, Beasley shot 766 total threes, averaging 9.3 attempts per game. There have been multiple games and stretches where he’s caught fire and swayed the momentum of a game, becoming an integral piece to the Pistons’ spectacular turnaround. He will also be due for a new contract this offseason and could bargain for a pay raise, but for now, he is focused on the playoffs.

Final Thoughts

Pritchard, Jerome, and Beasley are the 2025 Sixth Man of the Year finalists. All three have had similar roles as sparkplugs for playoff teams, and Jerome and Beasley have had tremendous resurgences after going around the league. Pritchard is the favorite to win, but they have all played great this season, making for an entertaining Sixth Man of the Year race.