The 2025/26 NBA Sixth Man of the Year market is shaping up as one of the toughest to call, with De'Andre Hunter, Naz Reid and Jordan Clarkson heading a wide-open race. History tells us this award usually goes to a high-impact scorer coming off the bench for a contender, and there’s no shortage of value plays this season.
Our NBA Sixth Man of the Year preview and betting tips break down the leading contenders, reveal the stats that matter, and highlight where the best value lies for 2025/26.
Best Bet
Team success is the key to the Sixth Man of the Year award. The last six winners all came from teams with a win percentage above 64%, which narrows the field to about seven genuine bench candidates.
From that group, it’s basically a coin flip between Naz Reid and Tari Eason, but at this price I’m taking the Rocket.
Eason averaged 12 points and 6.4 rebounds in 25 minutes last season. The last three Sixth Man winners have averaged between 13.5 and 15 points per game, which is well within Eason’s range. In games where he played 20 minutes or more, he averaged 13.5 points and 7 rebounds.
With Brooks, VanVleet and Green gone, there’s a clear path to more consistent minutes. Even with Durant joining Houston, expect Udoka to manage his workload carefully through the regular season, which opens the door for a breakout Eason year.
Next Best
The only hesitation with Simons is Boston’s potential win total. In the last 23 years, only one player has won this award on a team that won fewer than 47 games. That was Lou Williams in 2018 when he averaged 22.6 points per game.
Bench players rarely reach that number these days. Even Tyler Herro managed only 20.7 in 2022, but if anyone can replicate Lou’s feat, it’s Simons.
Boston has confirmed he will come off the bench behind the White-Pritchard backcourt, with a clear green light to score. He averaged 19.3 points in 33 minutes for Portland last season. Expect a slight dip in minutes to around 30, but an increase in usage as the leader of Boston’s second unit.
Value Bet
If Oklahoma City stays near the top of the West with another 60-win season, $67 for Aaron Wiggins looks like great value.
Among players from teams projected to win at least 64% of games, Wiggins’ post-All-Star numbers stood out. He averaged 21.4 points per 36 minutes after the break, ranking third among bench players behind Ty Jerome and Tristan Vukcevic.
Jerome and Vukcevic are both unlikely to feature on contending teams this year, while Wiggins should see steady minutes on an elite Thunder roster.
He averaged 12 points per game last season, and with a little more opportunity, could easily push that into the 15-point range and put himself right in the mix.
