Payton Pritchard has not only solidified his place on the team but has also earned one of the league’s highest honors: the NBA‘s 2025 Sixth Man of the Year award. This recognition doesn’t just reflect a single season of solid play-it marks a turning point in Pritchard‘s career and a testament to his development as a professional.
He appeared in all but two games this season, averaging 14.3 points, shooting 40.7 percent from beyond the arc, and playing more than 28 minutes per contest despite only starting three games. His consistency and ability to energize the Celtics off the bench have become a vital component of Boston’s pursuit of back-to-back championships.
“I feel like every year, you get a little bit better,” Pritchard said earlier Tuesday, before being given the award Tuesday night. “So I hope that … I’ve gotten better than I was last year. So if that means I’m stronger, more in shape, better basketball IQ.”
A steady climb from doubt to dominance
When Pritchard was drafted 26th overall by Boston in 2020, he entered the league known for his scoring and leadership in college but faced questions about whether he could replicate his impact at the NBA level.
By his third season, those questions intensified. He played in only 48 games and considered asking for a trade, frustrated by his lack of opportunity.
But everything began to change during the Celtics‘ 2023/24 championship season. Coach Joe Mazzulla began to trust him with more responsibility, and Pritchard responded with increased production and defensive tenacity. That trust has only grown, and so has Pritchard’s understanding of what it takes to be effective in a bench role.
“I’ve just been through it now, so I understand what it takes and what this team needs. I’m not saying it’s going to be scoring every night, but just this level of physicality, picking up the ball. This intensity, that’s what needs to be there every night,” he added.
Mental growth has been just as important as his on-court evolution. Learning to embrace his role-no matter how unpredictable his minutes might be-has helped him thrive.
“I feel like that’s probably another area of growth I’ve had, too,” Pritchard said. “Mentally, like this whole year, (I’ve) been coming off the bench around the six-minute mark, and then you don’t go in until the end of the first… But instead, now maturing a little bit, once you get your opportunity, you just take full advantage of it and don’t look back.”
Pritchard earned 82 out of 100 first-place votes, appearing on every ballot, and beat out stiff competition from Malik Beasley and Ty Jerome.
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