Wolves big man Naz Reid wins NBA’s 6th Man Award
Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid, right, drives against Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Naz. Reid.
The Timberwolves big man and fan favorite is officially the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. He beat out Kings guard Malik Monk and Bucks forward Bobby Portis Jr. for the award.
Reid, who went undrafted out of LSU in 2019, has been a massive developmental success story for the Timberwolves, who are now up 2-0 on the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs.
The 6-foot-9 big who handles and shoots like a guard averaged career bests in points (13.5) and rebounds (5.2), assists (1.3) and steals (0.8) per game this season, while also blocking nearly one shot per game, shooting 47.7% from the field and 41.4% from three over a career-high 24.2 minutes per game. Reid also filled in as a starter in 14 games when Karl-Anthony Towns was injured.
His big season came after agreeing to a three-year, $42 million extension with the Timberwolves last offseason rather than possibly seeking a larger role and more money on a different team.
Now, he’s a key part of a team that’s trying to win its first playoff series in 20 years.
The Timberwolves have two other NBA award finalists — center Rudy Gobert for Defensive Player of the Year and head coach Chris Finch for Coach of the Year. Those results will be announced in the coming days.