3 best sixth men in NBA history ft. Lou Williams
The most complete teams in the NBA are the ones that win championships. That's the way it works.
One player cannot do it all, especially one starting player. The best teams are deep and have strength from top to bottom. As such, one of the most important positions on a roster is the sixth man.
The sixth man is the best bench player. He can provide a much-needed scoring boost, elite defense, or even a strong presence on the boards. There are no great teams without a sixth man.
That being said, here are the three best sixth men in NBA history:
#3. SG Lou Williams
Lou Williams is the definition of a bench scorer. Williams has a career average of 13.9 points per game. To put that into perspective, Williams has started just 122 games out of the 1,123 that he has played in. He has averaged over 10.0 points per game in 14 of his 17 career seasons.
The three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year has scored 15,593 career points. That is more than the likes of Hall of Famers Walt Frazier, Dennis Johnson, and Tim Hardaway. The former McDonald's All-American (2005) has made a career of providing a fantastic scoring punch off the bench.
#2. SG Jamal Crawford
Jamal Crawford is one of the best players in basketball history. His ability to shake defenders with his elite dribbling is what made him one of the most dangerous offensive playmakers ever.
The Seattle native spent two decades in the league because of that playmaking ability. Like Lou Williams, Crawford earned three NBA Sixth Man of the Year Awards.
Crawford's 19,419 career points put him ahead of Hall of Famers Bob Lanier, Scottie Pippen, Tracy McGrady, and Magic Johnson.
He played for nine different teams and was a difference-maker on every single one of them. Crawford averaged over 10.0 points per game in 16 of his 20 career seasons and was the definition of consistency wherever he played.
#1. SG Manu Ginobili
Manu Ginobili is one of the greatest foreign NBA players of all-time. He was a key piece of the San Antonio Spurs' dynastic run for a decade-and-a-half (1999-2014).
The two-time All-Star and 2008 NBA Sixth Man of the Year is a four-time NBA champion and a Basketball Hall of Famer. At the time of his retirement in 2018, he was seen as an all-time great Spur.
The Argentinian All-Star recorded 14,043 points in his career. That is more than the likes of Hall of Famers Dave Cowens, David Thompson, and Vlade Divac. Ginobili's career three-point percentage of 36.87% is better than the likes of Hall of Famer Paul Pierce and current star Kyle Lowry. The Spurs don't win four of their rings without the experience and bench playmaking of Ginobili. He is a legend.