The NBA officially announced on Tuesday that Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard was selected as the Sixth Man of the Year for the 2024/25 season.

According to the voting results released by the league, Payton Pritchard received 82 first-place votes, 13 second-place votes, and 5 third-place votes (454 points), winning by a landslide. Pistons point guard Malik Beasley came in second with 13 first-place votes, 66 second-place votes, and 16 third-place votes (279 points), while Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome came in third with 2 first-place votes, 12 second-place votes, and 45 third-place votes (91 points).

Pritchard also became the fourth player in Celtics history to receive the honor, following in the footsteps of Kevin McHale (1984 & 1985), Bill Walton (1986) and Malcolm Brogdon (2023).

Pritchard, 27, was selected by the Celtics with the 26th pick in the first round in 2020. He has played in 347 regular season games so far, averaging 9.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He also played in 58 playoff games for the Celtics, averaging 4.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

So far this season, Pritchard has played in 80 regular season games (3 starts), averaging a career-high 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 28.4 minutes per game, shooting 47.2% from the field and 40.7% from three-point range. While leading the league's bench scoring list with 1,079 points, he also broke the NBA bench player single-season record with 246 three-pointers. The Celtics eventually ranked second in the Eastern Conference with 61 wins and 21 losses, and Pritchard's key role in the bench lineup cannot be ignored.

Regarding winning the Best Sixth Man Award, Pritchard said in an interview with TNT: "There are many great figures in the history of the Celtics, especially John Havlicek - the Best Sixth Man Award is named after him. There are also Kevin McHale, Bill Walton, and several other predecessors - such as Malcolm Brogdon, who I was a teammate with at the time and witnessed him win this award. It is a great honor for me to be able to join their ranks."

Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens also congratulated Pritchard on the award in a statement. He said: "Payton is one of the most dedicated players I have ever been around. He truly loves basketball and puts his heart and soul into every job required to be a top player. In addition, he is driven by winning and will do whatever it takes to help the team."

"Payton is a true warrior on the court, and his teammates know his dedication and hard work every day. It is a great honor for him to receive an award named after the legendary player John Havlicek."