Lou Williams wins NBA Sixth Man of the Year

Photo: Jason DeCrow/Associated Press

Toronto Raptors guard and ten year veteran Lou Williams has won the 2015 KIA NBA Sixth Man of the Year award, given to the league’s most outstanding reserve player. Averaging a career high 15.5 points per game on 152 made three pointers, Williams was crucial to Toronto’s success throughout statistically the franchise’s best season.

The team finished 49-33, the best record ever by a Raptor’s team, despite injuries that kept All Stars Demar Derozan and Kyle Lowry sidelined for various parts of the season. Williams was able to lead the team through the injuries and grant the Raptors the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Williams hauled in 78 first-place votes from a panel of 130 voters, doubling the next highest vote receiver Isaiah Thomas, who led the undermined Boston Celtics to a playoff birth. Williams spent the first seven years of his career with the Philadelphia 76ers, averaging over ten points per game in his final five years including four playoff appearances. Williams spent the last two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, in which he struggled after tearing his ACL.

His career seemed to be washed up in the drain, but through hard work and determination, Williams has received one of the NBA’s highest honors. He is having a career season in just about every aspect which still has not yet ended yet. The Raptors are down 1-0 to the Washington Wizards and Williams’ playoff experience looks to be a key factor throughout the rest of the postseason.