This article answers a simple question: who won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year? It then explains how the award is decided and how to read nba 6th man of the year odds. The goal is practical clarity. Fans get the confirmed winner and a short context of recent recipients, while readers who follow betting markets learn how to interpret live prices and implied probabilities without assuming guaranteed outcomes.

Keldon Johnson won the 2025-26 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year and received the John Havlicek Trophy.

The Sixth Man is chosen by a media panel using a weighted 5-3-1 points system and the NBA publishes vote totals and ballots.

Odds for Sixth Man markets are time-sensitive and tracked by aggregators such as VegasInsider and OddsChecker US.

Quick answer: who won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year?

Keldon Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs was announced as the 2025-26 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year and received the John Havlicek Trophy, a league honor for the season's top reserve NBA Communications press release.

This short answer gives the result up front and sets expectations: the rest of this article explains how the award is decided, shows recent sixth man winners for context, and walks through how to read nba 6th man of the year odds if you want to track markets or interpret implied probabilities.

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Read on to see how the award is decided, a short recent-winners snapshot, and a practical way to read nba 6th man of the year odds for live markets.

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What is the Sixth Man of the Year award and who is eligible?

The Sixth Man of the Year recognizes the league's most valuable reserve player during the regular season. The award is named in honor of John Havlicek and is intended for a player whose primary role was coming off the bench during the year.

Who won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year and how are the odds interpreted?

Keldon Johnson won the 2025-26 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year. The award is decided by a weighted media vote and markets that display nba 6th man of the year odds reflect bettors and market makers, so check official NBA releases and reputable aggregators for current pricing and final ballots.

To be eligible, guidance from league communications says a player must come off the bench in more games than he starts; the NBA also publishes voting totals and individual voter ballots with each award announcement so readers can verify how votes were cast NBA Communications release on eligibility and ballots.

How the winner is decided: the voting system explained

The winner is chosen by a media panel that submits ballots ranking their top three choices. The league uses a weighted 5-3-1 points system, where a first place vote is worth five points, second place is three points, and third place is one point; the player with the highest total points wins the award NBA Communications explanation of voting.

Because the system is points-based, a player with more first place votes can lose to a player with a larger number of second place votes, and vice versa. The NBA publishes full voting totals and the individual ballots with each announcement, which makes it possible to see how tight or lopsided a race was when the winner is named.

For readers trying to picture the math, imagine three voters. If one voter gives Player A a first place vote and two voters give Player B second place votes, the totals can be close depending on how many ballots each player appears on. That mechanics explanation helps explain why close races sometimes require checking the published ballots to understand the final result.

Recent winners and short historical snapshot

The three most recent winners provide quick context. Naz Reid won the 2023-24 award, Payton Pritchard took the 2024-25 award, and Keldon Johnson earned the 2025-26 honor. For a complete, continuously updated list of Sixth Man winners you can consult Basketball-Reference as a historical reference Basketball-Reference Sixth Man winners page.

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Looking at recent sixth man winners helps voters and bettors understand the kinds of roles that tend to win the award, but past winners do not guarantee future results. Voter preferences, team situations, and role changes can all reshape a season's outcome. See the Funded Plays blog for related forecasting discussion: Funded Plays blogs.

Understanding nba 6th man of the year odds and how to read them

Reputable odds aggregators like RotoWire and VegasInsider track Sixth Man markets during the season and publish American odds for candidates; those prices move throughout the year and vary by book as market action and perception change.

Convert American odds to implied probability for a single candidate

Use absolute odds format for negative and positive inputs

Because odds are time-sensitive it is important to time-stamp any quoted price and cite the live market you used. Odds pages typically display American odds such as +350 or -120; those can be converted into implied probabilities to compare how the market prices each candidate at a given moment.

To convert American odds to implied probability, use a consistent method. For positive odds like +300, implied probability is 100 divided by (odds plus 100), so +300 would be 100 divided by 400, or 25 percent. For negative odds like -150, convert first to decimal probability by dividing the absolute value into 100 plus the absolute value, so -150 becomes 150 divided by 250, which equals 60 percent implied probability. Always note the time you checked the market when reporting these numbers.

Use a short checklist to evaluate candidates: 1) confirm the player qualifies by coming off the bench in more games than he starts, 2) look for stable minutes and a defined role, 3) check scoring and efficiency measures such as points per 36 minutes and scoring efficiency, and 4) review on off court splits to see real impact. Eligibility guidance about bench role is part of league communications and should be verified when checking candidates NBA Communications guidance on eligibility (see how Funded Plays evaluations work).

These signals are indicators, not guarantees. A player who scores a lot in limited minutes might look impressive in counting stats but could lack the efficiency or sustained role that voters prefer. Conversely, steady production in a defined bench role that helps team outcomes often resonates with voters and markets.

When you incorporate odds into your evaluation, treat prices as an external view on likelihood. If multiple aggregators show a candidate at short odds, that reflects market belief; if the candidate's role changes midseason, odds can adjust quickly as bettors and market makers react to new information.

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Common mistakes when following the Sixth Man race

One frequent error is over-relying on raw counting stats like total points without accounting for efficiency or minutes context. That can make hot scorers look like favorites while ignoring whether their play is sustainable or impactful in fewer minutes.

Another mistake is confusing narrative or popularity with voter preferences. Voters submit ballots and the NBA publishes those ballots, so the final decision is a product of distributed voter opinions rather than a single narrative NBA Communications note on published ballots.

Finally, remember that betting odds reflect market action and can be moved by public money or imbalanced demand. An odds line that looks like strong support may in some cases be a product of heavy wagering rather than a clear consensus among informed observers OddsChecker Sixth Man markets.

Practical examples and scenarios: applying the framework

Example scenario, step by step. Suppose a bench player gains a steady 20 minutes per game role after a starter is injured and keeps scoring efficiently. First, confirm he still qualifies by checking whether he comes off the bench in more games than he starts. Second, measure his production using per 36 metrics and efficiency numbers. Third, check on off court splits to see whether the team performs measurably better with him on the floor. Fourth, watch live odds pages for market response, since a sustained role change often produces a price move in aggregator listings such as VegasInsider and OddsShark.

As a midseason role change example, imagine that the player moves from 12 minutes to 22 minutes per game and maintains or improves efficiency. Voters may take notice heading into late season coverage, and bettors may put money on the candidate if the market expects sustained impact. Live odds should be checked for current pricing because markets react to both real performance and perceived narrative shifts.

Finally, remember the authoritative announcement and detailed ballots come from the NBA when the award is decided, and those official materials settle the question of who won for the record NBA Communications official announcement.

Takeaways and where to check updates

Key takeaway: Keldon Johnson is the 2025-26 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year, and the award is decided by a weighted media vote with published ballots so readers can verify the vote distribution NBA Communications announcement.

For updates and reference checks, use Basketball-Reference for historical lists and consult reputable odds aggregators for live markets. Basketball-Reference maintains a continuously updated Sixth Man winners page for historical comparison Basketball-Reference Sixth Man winners page, and you can also visit Funded Plays for related resources.

If you plan to follow markets, time-stamp any odds you cite and check multiple aggregators because prices vary across books and move with market action.

Who received the 2025-26 Sixth Man of the Year?

Keldon Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs was announced as the 2025-26 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

How is the Sixth Man of the Year chosen?

A media panel votes using a weighted 5-3-1 points system and the NBA publishes full voting totals and ballots at the announcement.

Where can I find live Sixth Man odds?

Consult reputable odds aggregators to view current Sixth Man markets, and always time-stamp any odds you reference because prices change.

If you follow award markets, treat odds as indicators of market belief rather than guarantees. Check official NBA announcements and published ballots to confirm results and use multiple aggregators to view current prices. For structured practice in forecasting and challenge-based evaluation of your predictions, explore FundedPlays challenges to test methods and measure consistency under a defined set of rules.