Former Los Angeles Clippers star Lou Williams won NBA Sixth Man of the Year three times (2015, 2018, 2019) in his 17-year playing career, and the retired 6-foot-1 guard believes the award should be named after him. If not himself, Williams was thinking Jamal Crawford or NBA Hall of Famer Manu Ginobili.
Of course, Crawford also won Sixth Man of the Year three times (2010, 2014, and 2016), and Ginobili won the award in the 2007-08 season. Williams and Crawford are the only players in NBA history to win the award three times. Neither player won an NBA championship nor was ever selected to an All-Star team.
According to a few NBA betting sites, the Los Angeles Clippers hold eighth-shortest odds to win next season’s championship in 2024. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Lakers.
In the Hawks win over the Magic tonight, Lou Williams played his 985th career game off the bench, passing Dell Curry for the most since starters were first tracked in 1970-71.
Williams is a 3-time Sixth Man of the Year, tied with Jamal Crawford for the most all-time. pic.twitter.com/D9snuazUiq
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 17, 2022
“That would be an honor. If not me, Jamal [Crawford]. If not Jamal, Manu [Ginobili],” Williams told TMZ Sports. “I think we’re three guys that championed that. We made it a lifestyle. We made it something that younger guys coming into the league, if they’re not going to be superstars, not going to be All-Stars, they still have a position to make their mark on the game.
“That would be a huge honor. So, I’m not fighting. I’m not saying, ‘No, it shouldn’t be named after me,’ I would definitely love that. But if not me, definitely Jamal. If not Jamal, definitely Manu.”
Manu Ginobili is only one of the five current Hall of Famers to have ever won NBA Sixth Man of the Year, joining Bobby Jones, Kevin McHale, Bill Walton, and Toni Kukoc. Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden will join the list once he retires and is inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Former Clippers star Lou Williams believes the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award should be named after himself or either Jamal Crawford or Manu Ginobili
Moreover, Lou Williams set the NBA record for career points scored off the bench with 13,396 points. During his final season in February 2022, he also set the league record for the most career games (1,001) played off the bench, surpassing Dell Curry’s record (984).
Lou Williams is one of just 5 players ever to be named NBA Sixth Man of the Year more than once.
He and Jamal Crawford are the only players to receive that honor three times. 🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/hH84lesWkR
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) June 19, 2023
“At his height, his size, doing what he did, I mean, the Sixth Man of the Year, it should be named after Lou, he’s the man. He’s been my favorite vet for sure.”
Should the Sixth Man award be named after Jamal Crawford?
Furthermore, Crawford is the NBA’s all-time leader in career four-point plays, scoring 54 total points. Note that Harden is currently in second place with 36 points. Crawford played 1,327 games across his 20-year career. Fans could easily make a strong case for the award to be named after the Washington native.
In the Phoenix Suns’ 120-109 regular-season finale loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Apr. 9, 2019, the 6-foot-5 guard scored a career-high 51 points on 18-of-30 (60%) shooting from the field and 7-of-13 (53.8%) beyond arc in 39 minutes off the bench.
At 39 years and 20 days old, he became the oldest player to score 50 points in an NBA game. Also, Crawford became the first player to have 50-point outings with four franchises as well. Not to mention, his 51 points were the most points ever scored by a reserve in league history.
Most 50+ points games by a 37+ year old:
2 — LeBron James
1 — Jamal Crawford
1 — Kobe Bryant
1 — Michael JordanEnd of the list. pic.twitter.com/SoQkD6JC90
— BronMuse (@BronMuse) August 15, 2023
Additionally, Crawford is the second player in NBA history to have scored 10,000 career points off the bench. In NBA history, Crawford is tied at 29th with four 50-point career games logged (tied with nine others, including Carmelo Anthony and Larry Bird) and 10th all-time in career 3-pointers made (2,221).
It seems the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award should be named after Jamal Crawford. If voters had to pick a player for the award name, it would come down to Crawford and Lou Williams. In fact, it should only be between the two three-time, award-winning legends. Though, Manu Ginobili deserves an honorable mention.
