Timberwolves' Naz Reid wins NBA Sixth Man of the Year award - ESPN

Minnesota forward Naz Reid was named the 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year on Wednesday night, becoming the first Timberwolves player to win the award.

Reid, 24, averaged career highs of 13.5 points and 5.2 rebounds to help Minnesota finish with the second-best record in franchise history (56-26) and clinch the third seed in the Western Conference.

He also became the third undrafted player to win the award, along with John Starks (1997) and Darrell Armstrong (1999).

«Blessed to be in this situation,» Reid said in an interview on TNT.

«It's special,» Reid said of his relationship with the fans in Minnesota, where he's spent his whole career thus far. «It's one of a kind, something that you obviously dream of, especially at the highest level. They've seen me work since Day 1… I think just being with me, that's super special.»

Reid just edged out Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk for second. Reid and Monk had the same number of second-place (39) and third-place (10) votes, with the 10-point difference (352 to 342) between them coming in Reid getting 45 first-place votes, compared to 43 for Monk.

According to NBA Communications, the 10-point difference between Reid and Monk was the smallest margin in NBA Sixth Man of the Year balloting under the current voting format, which began with the 2002-03 season.

The other finalist, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis, was a distant third with five first-place votes and 82 total points. LA Clippers guard Norman Powell (two first-place votes) finished fourth, while Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanović received five first-place votes to finish fifth, and round out the players to receive at least one first-place vote.

Players were awarded 5 points for a first-place vote, 3 for a