Timberwolves, Naz Reid wins Sixth Man of the Year

Fellow LSU star Shaquille O’Neal opened the sealed envelope Wednesday and skim the NBA’s 2024 Sixth Man of the Yr winner on nationwide tv: Timberwolves huge man Naz Reid.

He is the primary participant in Wolves historical past to win the award and solely the third participant undrafted — out of LSU, through New Jersey — to win it, becoming a member of solely Darrell Armstrong (1999) and John Starks (1997).

Reid edged Sacramento guard Malik Monk by a mere 10 factors — 352 to 342 — in voting chosen by a panel of reporters and broadcasters who cowl the league. Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis completed a distant third. Ballots had been due at common season’s finish, earlier than final week’s play-in match.

In doing so, Reid received the John Havlicek Trophy, named after the Boston Celtics’ Corridor of Famer.

The choice was introduced on TNT’s playoff pregame present, with Reid interviewed by the studio crew of O’Neal, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and host Ernie Johnson on video convention.

Reid was surrounded off-camera by relations and credited them, his teammates, followers and others near him, together with his late mentor Rudy Roundtree.

“We’re all excited,” Reid stated.

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When requested who helped him get to this honor in his profession, Reid stated, “All people round me. All people performed part of my life. There have been conditions the place issues had been going up and down, Rudy helped information me in conditions I did not suppose I would make it out of.

“I am blessed to be on this state of affairs.”

Reid, 24, averaged 13.5 factors, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in his fifth NBA season. He performed 81 of the staff’s 82 video games, and 67 of them had been off the bench to offer protection, energy and three-point taking pictures. He began 14 occasions, most of them when fellow huge man Karl-Anthony Cities was injured within the season’s remaining month.

“When KAT went down, you noticed how good he [Reid] can persistently be,” Smith stated throughout the broadcast.

A fan favourite at Goal Middle, Reid referred to as his relationship with the staff’s followers “particular, certainly one of a form.”

“It is one thing you dream about rising up, particularly on the highest stage, the NBA,” he stated. “I modified my physique, I modified my mentality since Day 1. That is tremendous particular.”

The NBA started naming the winners of seven particular person postseason awards on Tuesday. Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey received Most Improved Participant, edging out Chicago’s Coby White in what was primarily a two-man race.

The Wolves have candidates in two of the 5 remaining classes but to be introduced: Rudy Gobert is a favourite to win his fourth Defensive Participant of the Yr and Chris Finch is included amongst Oklahoma Metropolis’s Mark Daigneault and Orlando’s Jamahl Mosley for Coach of the Yr.

In a staff assertion, Finch stated, “We could not be extra pleased with Naz for being named Sixth Man of the Yr. His contribution to our staff this yr is a key purpose for our staff’s success. His progress this season and a focus to element to enhance his sport had been a important think about Naz turning into one of the best reserve man within the NBA.”

Sport occasions set

The NBA introduced first-round playoff Sport 5 beginning occasions, if mandatory, and in nearly each situation the Wolves would play Phoenix Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. at Goal Middle.

The exception: If Milwaukee-Indiana and Wolves-Suns are solely video games being performed that evening, the Wolves will play at 9 p.m. as an alternative, if a Sport 5 is required after the Wolves swept the primary two video games at residence.

In each state of affairs for Tuesday, the Wolves sport will likely be on TNT.