New York Knicks team president Phil Jackson has challenged point guard Brandon Jennings to win Sixth Man of the Year. Here are five reasons he can.
The New York Knicks have played home to some of the greatest super-subs in NBA history. Three Knicks players have won Sixth Man of the Year, all of whom helped New York achieve a significant measure of success during that season.
Current team president Phil Jackson is of the belief that recently signed point guard Brandon Jennings can follow in said players’ footsteps.
The first member of the Knicks to win Sixth Man of the Year was the late great Anthony Mason in 1994-95. After Mason, it was Knicks legend John Starks who earned the award in 1996-97.
Most recently, it was the incomparable J.R. Smith who won Sixth Man of the Year during the unforgettable 2012-13 season.
The common theme in all three of those seasons is that the Knicks’ super-sub helped the team win 50-plus games. New York went 54-28 during the 2012-13 season, 55-27 in 1994-95, and 57-25 in 1996-97.
Though it’s hard to project such a complicated award—an injury to a starter can push reserves into starting roles and out of consideration—Jennings has a legitimate opportunity to cash in.
Here are five reasons Jennings could win Sixth Man of the Year in 2016-17.