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The NBA announced today that Chicago Bulls rookie guard Ben Gordon was named the League’s Sixth Man of the Year for the 2004-05 season. The award recognizes the NBA’s top player in a reserve role and is voted on by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Gordon becomes the first rookie in NBA history to claim the award since its inception following the 1982-83 campaign.

Gordon, the third pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, appeared in all 82 games (three starts) and averaged 15.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg and 2.0 apg in 24.4 mpg. He shot .411 from the field, a Bulls’ rookie record .405 from behind the arc (18th in the NBA) and .863 from the free throw line (16th). Gordon also finished with 3.21 3FG per 48 minutes (8th), 29.6 points per 48 minutes (11th) and 10.41 FG per 48 minutes (15th).

On the year, he scored 10 or more points in a quarter 34 times, including 21 times in the fourth quarter. Gordon’s largest single-quarter surge came on Mar. 30 in the Chicago’s 102-99 win at Charlotte. In that game, he scored 22 of his game-high 35 points (11-17 FG, 6-8 3FG) in the fourth quarter.

Gordon finished first in the voting, with 513 out of a possible 625 points (82.1%). He earned 88 of a possible 125 first-place votes (70.4 %) and nearly doubled the point total of runner up, Ricky Davis of the Boston Celtics, who received 257 points. Denver’s Earl Boykins came in third with 155 points. Players earned five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote received.

With this recognition, Gordon becomes the second Chicago player to claim the Sixth Man Award, joining Toni Kukoc, who won the award for the 1995-96 season.

2004-05 NBA SIXTH MAN VOTING RESULTS

Ben Gordon (88 first place votes, 513 total points)
Ricky Davis (17 first place votes, 257 total points)
Earl Boykins (11 first place votes, 155 total points)
Jerry Stackhouse (6 first place votes, 95 total points)
Vladimir Radmanovic (2 first place votes, 41 total points)
Wally Szczerbiak (1 first place vote, 22 total points)

Also receiving votes: Antonio McDyess, Antonio Daniels, Donyell Marshall, Jim Jackson, Kyle Korver, Mehmet Okur, Tyson Chandler, Hedo Turkoglu).

ALL-TIME NBA SIXTH MAN AWARD WINNERS

1982-83 Bobby Jones, Philadelphia 76ers
1983-84 Kevin McHale, Boston Celtics
1984-85 Kevin McHale, Boston Celtics
1985-86 Bill Walton, Boston Celtics
1986-87 Ricky Pierce, Milwaukee Bucks
1987-88 Roy Tarpley, Dallas Mavericks
1988-89 Eddie Johnson, Phoenix Suns
1989-90 Ricky Pierce, Milwaukee Bucks
1990-91 Detlef Schrempf, Indiana Pacers
1991-92 Detlef Schrempf, Indiana Pacers
1992-93 Clifford Robinson, Portland Trail Blazers
1993-94 Dell Curry, Charlotte Hornets
1994-95 Anthony Mason, New York Knicks
1995-96 Toni Kukoc, Chicago Bulls
1996-97 John Starks, New York Knicks
1997-98 Danny Manning, Phoenix Suns
1998-99 Darrell Armstrong, Orlando Magic
1999-00 Rodney Rogers, Phoenix Suns
2000-01 Aaron McKie, Philadelphia 76ers
2001-02 Corliss Williamson, Detroit Pistons
2002-03 Bobby Jackson, Sacramento Kings
2003-04 Antawn Jamison, Dallas Mavericks
2004-05 Ben Gordon, Chicago Bulls