Two words: 'Naz Reid' - Wolves, fans celebrate NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minnesota Timberwolves fans will now know Naz Reid by two different words: Sixth Man.
On Thursday, Timberwolves fans packed the Target Center atrium escalators and balcony to celebrate a favorite who has now also been nationally recognized for his on-the-court efforts.
"Those two words [Naz Reid] have grown to become a salutation in Minnesota and now we pair them with two words that also have a nice ring to them: Sixth Man," said Timberwolves play-by-play announcer Michael Grady, who fans often hear on the Bally Sports North streaming platform. "The journey has been a special one from undrafted free agent, to the [NBA] G-League, to key contributor on a championship contender."
Since the 1982-32 season, the NBA has annually awarded Sixth Man to the best performing player for a team that is coming off the bench. Reid is the first person in franchise history to win the honor.
At 24 years old, he’s considered one of the best backup centers in the league after averaging 13.5 points per game while pulling down 5.2 rebounds on average during the 2023-24 NBA season. He appeared in 81 games, starting 14 of them, and gave the Timberwolves a critical boost when Karl-Anthony Towns went down with a meniscus injury.
"To get this award is a monumental moment for myself to see how far I’ve come since I started this journey," Reid said on Thursday.
Reid said his humble beginnings and struggling growing up were additional motivation behind winning the award.
A singular theme conveyed between both head coach Chris Finch and general manager Tim Connelly when talking about Reid on Thursday was the same – hard work has led to his success.
"This is a reflection on the work that he’s done," Finch said. "No matter what the circumstances or what your role has been over the years, you’ve bought-in and maximized your opportunities."
"Nobody works harder than Naz and nobody has a more positive attitude every day… It’s also a huge tip of the cap to our development staff," Connelly said.
When asked, Reid spoke about his time spent with the Minnesota Timberwolves G-League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, saying it was pivotal to the success he is seeing in the league now.
It’s his consistent effort that has led fans to adore Reid, both in Minnesota and across the country, according to Grady – noting that a recent fan giveaway towel with his name has since been seen at Coachella and in Greece.
Showing their support, several players, including Towns, Jaden McDaniels, Jordan McLaughlin and Luka Garza sat in the front row.
Last summer Reid signed a contract extension with the Timberwolves – a decision he says was an easy one, saying, "I knew this is where I wanted to be."
Looking ahead to Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night, Reid said he believes the Timberwolves can make a deep run if they stick to the principles that got them there.
"From when I got here to where we are now is a complete 180," said Reid. "It speaks to how dedicated everyone is. From the coaches to the training staff to the chefs – everybody’s all-in."
The Timberwolves head to Phoenix up 2-0 in their best-of-seven series after a 105-93 win Tuesday night at Target Center.
