NBA 2026-27 Sixth Man of the Year Candidate Prediction Market Picks

The Sixth Man of the Year award requires the most sacrifice.

Players who have won in the past have had to take a backseat in order to allow their team to succeed more.

Here are some of the best bench players in the NBA, who have a chance of taking home Sixth Man of the Year, according to Kalshi.

Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder (15% Chance, 17¢ Yes)

Oklahoma City is so loaded in the guard room, so it is no surprise that one of their breakout stars from last year’s playoffs is the favorite to win Sixth Man of the Year. After OKC gave Cason Wallace a 5 year, $139 million extension, there are many Thunder players that could be in the running.

But Mitchell was terrific in just his second year last season. He became a known commodity in the Thunder’s second round sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 22.5 points and 6.0 assists per game. Off the bench along with Jared McCain, Mitchell is going to put up huge numbers against second units.

Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics (12% Chance, 24¢ Yes)

The 2025 Sixth Man of the Year will always be in the running, as long as he comes off the bench. Pritchard has become an excellent scorer from all three levels, despite only being 6-foot-1. For Boston, they will need a boost off the bench, and Pritchard is just the guy for the job.

Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota Timberwolves (8% Chance, 8¢ Yes)

After being acquired from the Chicago Bulls at last year’s trade deadline, Ayo Dosunmu became one of the Timberwolves’ most important players. The 26-year-old swingman is an excellent utility player, who can score, shoot, pass and defend multiple positions. Dosunmu played a huge role in Minnesota upsetting the Denver Nuggets in last year’s playoffs, including a career performance in Game 4.

With the Timberwolves having some questions on the defensive side of the ball this season, Dosunmu will be asked to play tons of minutes for head coach Chris Finch. If he can impact the game on both ends off the bench and help Minnesota finish with home court in the West, he could definitely become a first-time winner of Sixth Man of the Year.

Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs (6% Chance, 6¢ Yes)

Heading into this week, I believed Harper was the clear favorite to take home Sixth Man of the Year. He is by far the best bench player in the NBA. The 20-year-old was arguably the Spurs’ second best player in the NBA Finals as a rookie!

But it sounds like Harper is going to become a full-time starter in 2026-27, which has resulted in his odds declining pretty rapidly.