NBA Sixth Man of the Year Odds, Contenders, Longshots & Market Analysis

By Kody Malstrom | Apr 13, 2026, 10:27am

We’re approaching the end of the 2025-26 NBA season and some of the Awards markets available at sportsbooks are offering intriguing value, including a wide open Sixth Man of the Year race.

Minnesota’s Naz Reid was the preseason favorite with +900 odds and he’s now third on consensus oddsboards with Houston’s Reed Sheppard closely aligned. Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. was favored for several weeks, but has been overtaken by San Antonio’s Keldon Johnson, who has dipped to -105 odds over the past week.

Johnson’s shortening odds could be correlated to the trend of voters picking the best reserve on a team that wins 50-plus games. Miami is headed for the play-in tournament and the Spurs are one of the hottest teams in the NBA with a chance to win 60-plus games.

Note that Sixth Man candidates must start fewer games than they come off the bench. Candidates don’t need to meet the NBA 65-game minimum rule that applies to NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and All-NBA and All-Defensive teams.

There are a couple of longshots to consider beyond the favorites. Below, we take a look at the updated NBA Sixth Man odds market and discuss the candidates.

2025-26 NBA Sixth Man Odds

NBA Sixth Man Candidates

Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs

Averaging 13 PPG and. 5.5 RPG on 53% field goal shooting, Johnson has been a key reserve for a Spurs team that has been white-hot since early February. With 15-plus points in four of his last five outings off the bench, he’s vaulted from +575 odds on March 18 to -105 odds at most books one week later.

Johnson has appeared in all 73 games for the Spurs and started in zero games, giving him a true Sixth Man role. He’s rocking a stellar 125 offensive rating and a 17.4 PER efficiency rating.

Playing alongside Victor Wembanyama and other stars has given Johnson a leg up with the Spurs experiencing massive team success. The past three NBA Sixth Man winners (Payton Pritchard, Naz Reid and Malcolm Brogdon) were on teams that won at least 56 games and finished third or higher in their conference.

Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami Heat

Miami has revolutionized its style of play this season and Jaquez Jr. has been a huge beneficiary of that shift. After finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting two seasons ago, Jaquez Jr. slumped last year with 8.6 PPG. He’s bounced back with averages of 14.8 PPG, 5 RPG, and 4.8 APG in 65 games off the bench.

Jaquez wasn’t even on preseason odds boards for the award but climbed to +500 odds after the All-Star Break and became the favorite at +150 odds on March 18 when Naz Reid missed a bit of time. The Heat put together a 7-game win streak to open March but lost five straight after that, leading to the odds shift for Jaquez Jr.

Miami is currently 7th in the Eastern Conference with a 19.6% chance to finish 5th and a roughly 16% chance to finish 6th or 8th per playoff probabilities at basketball-reference.com.

Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves

While he won the award two seasons ago, voters haven’t hesitated to give players Sixth Man in consecutive seasons, so Reid was the preseason favorite across the board. The 6-foot-9 forward is a rare talent and a huge part of Minnesota’s plans as evidenced by the 5-year, $125 million contract extension he signed last year.

Reid has appeared in 70 games this year with two starts. He’s averaging 13.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 2.3 APG with a 113 offensive rating. Those numbers are similar to last year, when Reid finished fifth in Sixth Man voting. The Wolves are currently battling for a playoff spot in the Western Conference with Anthony Edwards dealing with a knee injury. Reid could have increased opportunities with the star guard out.

Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets

Sheppard was a preseason longshot to win this award but dropped to +1600 early in the season when it became clear the Rockets would need his offense more in the absence of Fred VanVleet (ACL). The gifted offensive guard is coming on late with averages of 15.7 PPG and 4.5 APG since the All-Star Break, but he’s also entered Houston’s starting lineup on a consistent basis.

Sheppard has made 14 starts over his 72 appearances and has better averages (15.8 PPG, 5.5 APG) in that role. Regardless, the Rockets are +2.4 per 100 possessions with Sheppard on the floor this season and he’s seen marked improvement across the board in his sophomore campaign. His defense is still lacking and that could sway voters to other candidates.

NBA Sixth Man Longshots

Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder

If we follow the trend of a top-two team getting the Sixth Man of the Year nod, Mitchell is a decent bet at +1200 odds. The lefty guard kept OKC afloat earlier this season when Jalen Williams missed significant time, but Mitchell sat out 20 straight games early in 2026 and that shifted his odds from around +1200 to +3000 before he returned March 9.

Mitchell has made 50 appearances with 14 starts and is averaging 14.1 PPG and 3.6 APG with a 118 offensive rating and 108 defensive rating. His offensive creation has been vital for a Thunder team that has missed key players at various times all season, yet is still leading the Western Conference and recently lost a 12-game win streak with a loss at Boston. Since the Thunder traded for Jared McCain, who is a Sixth Man of the Year candidate in his own right, Mitchell’s case might not be as strong.

Isaiah Stewart, Detroit Pistons

Stewart was in the mix for Sixth Man of the Year and for a spot on one of the All-Defensive teams, but he’s likely to miss too many games to be eligible for the latter. Stewart is currently out with a calf strain and he might not appear until the playoffs given Detroit’s comfortable position atop the Eastern Conference.

He’s still eligible for Sixth Man voting but his odds have lengthened from +1600 to +2500 in light of his recent injury. Stewart also received a 7-game suspension for fighting and that could impact voters. He’s averaging a modest 10 PPG and 5.1 RPG over 55 appearances with 13 starts, but his biggest impact is on the defensive end for a Pistons team that leads the East in defensive rating.

Photo Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Kody Malstrom

Kody is a professional sports bettor and sports betting journalist with eight years of experience in the industry. He covers a wide range of sports, including NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, MLB, and UFC. What started as a side gig has turned into a full time job, spending a majority of his time staring at odds screens and market movement. When away from the computer, Kody enjoys spending his time outdoors relaxing at the beach or golfing with friends.