Ranking EVERY Sixth Man From All 30 NBA Teams

So, over the course of my last five videos, I was going through all five positions in basketball, and I was ranking the player that starts at each spot from all 30 NBA teams. Yes, that covers every spot on the basketball court, but there is still one key role left on the team that we haven't addressed yet, and that brings us to today's video. Today, we will be shifting our focus to the benches, as we will be ranking the sixth men from all 30 NBA teams. The sixth man on the team is the first guy up off the bench who, in many ways, can be looked at as a sixth starter, as someone who still plays a major role without being in the starting lineup, and they come in looking to provide a spark to the lineup when they get in the game. With that being said now, let's dive right in. Starting at the bottom of the list and working our way up to number one, coming in at number 30, we have Rob Dillingham of the Chicago Bulls. Dillingham was a highly touted prospect when he was drafted, but just never panned out when he was in Minnesota, so they traded him to Chicago, where he's trying to rejuvenate his career. Dillingham is oozing in natural creation ability with speed and a tight handle, but he's very inconsistent and inefficient. His confidence has wavered a lot, and he's pretty undersized, so he's been a liability on defense. So while he'll still be likely assuming a big role for the Bulls this season, he is one who has performed the worst on this list. Next, at number 29, we have Noah Clowney of the Brooklyn Nets. Clowney did manage to emerge as a real useful piece in the rotation last season as a big shooter who can score in bunches, but overall, he's still pretty inefficient. He just put up about 12 points per game last season, but he shot 39% from the field and 32% from three, and when over half of his shot attempts have come from the three-point line, that's not good enough. When he gets hot, he can have some big outings, but overall, it's tough to put him above anybody else today. Next, at number 28, we have Dennis Jenkins of the Detroit Pistons. Jenkins came out of nowhere last season to earn a big role on one of the best teams in the NBA, and there was a stretch during the season where he was filling in for an injured Cade Cunningham and was dominating, but over the course of the entire season, he unfortunately went through quite a few cold stretches, and he also had a pretty poor showing in the playoffs. He plays very aggressive, which sometimes results in playing out of control, and with averages of about 9 points and 4 assists per game, it's not bad by any means, but there's just a lot of other guys that do more on both sides of the floor. Before we get into the video though, recently a judge ordered Meta and YouTube to pay millions for their role in designing and promoting addictive platforms. 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Melton has proved to be a way better shooter than that throughout his career, so he should be able to improve on that this season, but until then, it's hard to put him any higher than this. Next, at number 26, we have Bones Highland of the Minnesota Timberwolves. There was a point where it looked like Highland was on the verge of falling out of the NBA altogether, but last season in Minnesota, something finally clicked for him, and he really embraced being a sixth man and doing what it's all about. He reigned in his chaotic shot selection. He developed really strong chemistry with the team's second unit, and even though he may not be an objectively good defender, he was at least working harder and fighting more on that end of the floor. He just put up about nine points and three assists per game, which isn't anything crazy, but he was way more efficient last season, which does mean a lot. Next, at number 25, we have Scottie Pippen Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies. Pippen emerged as a legit contributor in 2025, and that year, he was performing like one of the better backup point guards in the whole league. Last season, though, he only got to play in 10 games before suffering a season-ending injury, and now he's going to have to prove that he can get back to his prior form. He's a confident secondary playmaker and floor general type with a smooth shooting stroke, and he dishes out a ton of assists in limited minutes, but the sample size of his production is not there yet to be ranked any higher. Next, at number 24, we have Bradley Beal of the Los Angeles Clippers. Beal's career has nosedived over the last few years, and last season hit rock bottom when he was averaging an inefficient eight points per game throughout six games before suffering a season-ending injury. He did re-sign with the Clippers this summer to hopefully get things back on track, and as a player who has had a very good career overall, he has the talent to still find ways to be a decent scoring punch off the bench. Next, at number 23, we have Dennis Schroeder of the Charlotte Hornets. Dennis Schroeder is the journeyman of all journeymen in the NBA, having now played for 12 different NBA teams going into his first year as a Hornet. He's been an impact super sub for so many different teams, and no matter where he goes, he's entrusted with running the second unit as a strong playmaker and secondary scoring threat. Without LaMelo Ball on the Hornets anymore, they need every bit of playmaking they can get. Schroeder is just also getting up there in age, and is not necessarily coming off of one of his stronger seasons by any means, thus why he's ranked a bit lower than maybe where he would have been in prior years. Next, at number 22, we have Jordan Poole of the New Orleans Pelicans. Poole has had a lot of ups and downs throughout his career, and unfortunately he's coming off of a season that definitely qualifies as a down. What has made Poole effective is that he is objectively an incredibly creative shotmaker with supreme confidence, but that playstyle only works when your shot is actually falling. Poole is coming off of a season where he did put up 13 points per game, but he shot just 37% from the field and 33% from three. Based on that alone, he should be further down this list, but that was also easily the worst season he's had in a long time, so he gets some benefit of the doubt unless he comes out and does a lot of the same this upcoming season, then of course he will fall even further. Next, at number 21, we have Trey Johnson of the Washington Wizards. Johnson's rookie season last year was pretty solid all things considered. He's a tough shotmaker of the highest order, and his jumper should become an even more effective weapon moving forward now that he has a season under his belt. He has deep shooting range, he has a knockdown pull-up mid-range jumper, and the spacing that he provides will be useful for this new-look wizard squad, as they enter a year hoping to make a playoff run. Next, at number 20, we have Pel Larson of Miami Heat. Larson is one of the most underrated players in the whole league, who has the production and versatility to match up with many other players we've discussed today, he just doesn't have the name recognition yet. Larson averaged about 11 points, four rebounds and three assists per game last season, serving as a jack-of-all-trades type of player, while also playing some very strong perimeter defense, and that two-way impact carries him above the names that we've discussed to this point. Next, at number 19, we have Colin Murray-Boyles of the Toronto Raptors. Murray-Boyles' rookie season was definitely a success, where his incredible impact on the defensive end became a legit weapon for the Raptors during their playoff push. He's a very solid rebounder and he's a strong interior scoring talent, but he's also a bit undersized for a big man, so he needs to continue working on becoming a more well-rounded offensive player to really expand his role even further. Next, at number 18, we have Ace Bailey of the Utah Jazz. Bailey is another player fresh off of a rookie season that, all in all, went well, but there's definitely more room to grow moving forward. He was actually starting most games last year, but now with Jaron Jackson Jr. on the team and Laurie Markin and healthy, Bailey will likely be pushed to the bench and come in as a super sub, which is a role that he'll be suited for because he is an aggressive score-first guy with terrific size and shot-making ability, paired with solid off-ball movement. He just needs to improve his efficiency numbers a bit. Next, at number 17, we have Lou Dort of the Atlanta Hawks. We're now in the part of the list where we'll be discussing a few players whose numbers on paper may not stack up with many players we've already discussed, but these guys have all proven themselves as capable of making a big impact on winning teams on both ends of the floor, and stuff like that matters a lot more than empty statistics. Dort has been a critical piece in Oklahoma City's dominance over the last few years as an elite defender and reliable shooter, and now that he's in Atlanta, he's hoping to bring some championship pedigree over to them. Next, at number 16, we have T.J. McConnell of the Indiana Pacers. McConnell is never going to stuff the stat sheet in the regular season, but he's a player who has consistently played his best basketball in the playoffs, shining under the bright lights. During the Pacers' run to the finals in 2025 and their conference finals run in 2024, he was consistently one of their best players, serving as a high-level secondary ball handler who thrives in the mid-range and scores timely buckets even though he had a bit of a quiet year last season, but I have no doubt that he will be back with Indiana, ready to get back into the mix in the playoffs. Next, at number 15, we have Myles McBride of the New York Knicks. McBride just had his best season as a pro, averaging a career-high 12 points per game while also shooting a red-hot 41% from three on nearly seven attempts from deep per game. His job is to sub in and just fire away, threatening defenses from the outside every chance he gets, and he did his job well, helping the Knicks go on to win the finals this year, so when your play is backed up by winning at the highest level, you naturally receive a boost on lists like this. Next, at number 14, we have Najee Marshall of the Dallas Mavericks. Marshall is one of the purest bucket-getters off the bench in the league, coming off of a year where he put up about 15 points per game on 51% shooting from the field. He gets to the rim at will with terrific touch in the paint, and he has a great pull-up mid-range jumper that he utilizes a lot in an era that frowns upon that shot usually. The one drawback with him is that he's been one of the worst three-point shooters in the league over the last two years, but he's a crafty on-ball operator on the wing and filled in well this year when most other things in Dallas went south. Next, at number 13, we have Kalel Ware of the Milwaukee Bucs. I do believe Ware will be the Bucs' starting center by the end of the upcoming season, but for now, Miles Turner is in his way. He should still see a lot of court time, and after coming over from Miami this offseason, he is one of my favorite breakout candidates as a big man oozing in potential. He's an incredibly athletic, rim-running big man who is also an incredibly efficient three-point shooter. He nearly averaged a double double for the Heat last year, averaging about 11 points and 9 rebounds per game, and now on a rebuilding side where he will be given more opportunity, those numbers should get pumped up a good bit more. Next, at number 12, we have Reed Shepard of the Houston Rockets. Shepard was an incredibly vital part of Houston's offense last season, desperately needing his playmaking talent and pure shot creation out on the floor as a group that was really lacking in point guard depth. And while the offense always flourished with Shepard out there, unfortunately, Shepard's also one of the league's weaker perimeter defenders, so it was tough to fully trust him to play full starters minutes. With Fred VanVleet coming back this season, Shepard will resume duties as a sixth man where he'll be running the second unit offense at a high level. Next, at number 11, we have Anthony Simons of the Philadelphia 76ers. Simons has been one of the league's best volume three-point shooters for a few years now, and last season during his time in Boston, he was averaging about 14 points per game off the bench, shooting 40 percent from three on about seven attempts from deep a night. He has such a quick trigger, he gets his shot off from anywhere on the floor, and he can operate both on and off the ball with a quick first step and a tight, crafty handle. The 76ers have been in need of more shooting in their rotation, so being able to sign him this summer should do wonders to their rotations. Now to start off the top 10, we have Colin Gillespie of the Phoenix Suns. Gillespie was the Suns' starting point guard most of last season, but now with Jalen Green healthy again, the team's backcourt will likely be him and Devin Booker pushing Gillespie to a bench role. Gillespie may not have high-end physical tools or elite athleticism, but he is just an incredibly smart, fundamentally sound player who reads the defense well, makes good decisions, and shoots very efficiently, averaging about 13 points in five assists per game, shooting 40 percent from three. Next, number nine, we have Jalen Tyson of the Cleveland Cavaliers. After a rookie season where Tyson was barely involved in the rotation, he came out in year two and exploded onto the scene, emerging as one of the best shooters in the whole league. He is a strong, big-bodied wing who not only shot the ball about 45 percent from three last season, but he also showed off quite a bit of on-ball skills as a slasher who, in spurts, proved he could create for himself when it came down to it. There were, of course, also times where his inexperience was showing a bit, but he's carrying a lot of confidence and momentum into year three. Next, at number eight, we have Malik Monk of the Sacramento Kings. Monk has been one of the league's best sixth men for a while. It's just unfortunate that the Kings have been spiraling during some of his best years. Monk is a true combo guard who can facilitate the offense as a playmaker when necessary, and shoot the lights out. In 2025, he averaged nearly six assists per game, showing he has the ability to play more selflessly as a point guard, and then last year he also shot the ball about 40 percent from three, reverting back to more of a score first role. And with the current state of the Kings, I would expect him to be a prime trade candidate at some point this season by a contender who needs bench help. Next, at number seven, we have Colin Sexton of the Los Angeles Lakers. Sexton has been one of the best pure bucket getters off the bench in the league for a long time, and year after year he produces at a pretty efficient rate, igniting the offense of whatever team he's on. Year in and year out, he's usually hovering around at least 15 points per game, oftentimes averaging more, while also shooting 48 percent from the field and 40 percent from three, and he is a true three-level scorer. Defensively, he's a bit undersized so he can get targeted, but he plays with more effort than most despite his limitations, so he'll be a great addition to the post-Lebron era of Lakers basketball. Next, at number six, we have Anthony Black of the Orlando Magic. Black is fresh off of the best year of his career and has become a Swiss army knife of sorts for this Orlando team on both ends of the floor. He's a guard with tremendous size for the position, capable of defending multiple different positions. He's a sneaky athlete with explosiveness that catches defenders off guard at times when he drives to the rim, and after averaging about 15 points and four assists per game last year, he was one of the most productive bench contributors in the league. Next, at number five, we have A.J. Mitchell of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder had such a deep loaded rotation last season, and yet Mitchell was consistently the first guy up off the bench when they needed a spark from their offense. His confidence skyrocketed down the season, and in the playoffs, he arguably played the best basketball of his career, having put up 20 or more points in four of the 11 playoff games that he partook in, proving that he could be a starter on a lot of teams around the league, honestly. Next, at number four, we have DeMar DeRozan of the Denver Nuggets. DeRozan is Denver's newest signing, coming in ready to be a pure scoring threat that he's been for a very long time. The issue with DeRozan is that he's very one-dimensional as someone whose only focus seems to be on getting buckets, and he doesn't really play much defense, so it's tough to rely on him for big minutes in a starting lineup anymore, but the role of the sixth man is pretty much exactly what he can still do well, so he's now in a much better spot to utilize his talents. Having still averaged about 18 points per game last season, he should still be in the mix for potentially the sixth man of the year award this year, as long as he fully buys into Denver's system. Next, at number three, we have Shaden Sharpe of the Portland Trailblazers. Sharpe is another player who may be shifted from the starting lineup to a key bench role now that the team's backcourt will likely be held down by John Morant and Damian Lillard, but Sharpe is fresh off a season where he averaged 20 points per game, and that kind of a scoring punch off the bench means Portland have a whole lot of firepower throughout their backcourt now. Sharpe is one of the most explosive athletes in the NBA, throwing down vicious dunks whenever he gets an opening at the rim, and every year he grows more and more confident as a creator on the ball too. He just really needs to improve his three-point efficiency and continue to improve as a defender too. Next, at number two, we have Dylan Harper of the San Antonio Spurs. By placing Harper this high, it is me fully acknowledging that he is clearly a far superior talent than what his numbers show. Harper was the number two pick in the draft last year, and unlike many of his fellow rookies picked around him at the top, he was immediately thrust into a loaded title contender, so his role was pretty reduced. He still averaged an efficient 12 points and four assists per game in the regular season, but in the playoffs it started to become clear that he was a star in the making. There were quite a few games where he was arguably the team's best player, and in the NBA Finals especially, he was their most reliable source of offense in games five and six. I've been a big advocate for the Spurs to move on from De'Aaron Fox to hand the until they do that, he will continue to be one of the best bench options in the NBA. And now, coming in at number one, as the best sixth man in the NBA, we have Peyton Pritchard of the Boston Celtics. Pritchard won the NBA's sixth man of the year award in 2025, and then last season he entered the Celtics starting lineup for a while, but near the end of the season he asked to go back to being their sixth man because it's a role that he's clearly more comfortable in, and his production backed it up after that switch. Pritchard is essentially a sixth starter for Boston now, and when he comes into the game he bombs threes incredibly efficiently, he attacks defenders relentlessly with incredible handles, and he would currently be my pick to win the upcoming sixth man of the year now that he's back in that role. And with that being said, that's all I have for you today. Make sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and comment down below how you think the sixth men currently stack up. Thanks for watching and I'll see you all next time.