Five Contenders For Sixth Man Of The Year

VTB-League.com is previewing the top contenders for each of the league's individual honors. Today we look in on the race for Sixth Man of the Year.

These guys make their teams better the second they step on the court. The best sixth men know how to spark big runs and provide much-needed balance and stability when the starters need a break.

VTB-League.com brings you the top five contenders for the Sixth Man of the Year (listed alphabetically). The only criteria is that a player must have started 50% or more games on the bench.

Kaspars Berzins, Zenit forward

Stats: 19 of 27 games on the bench (20.3 minutes), 11.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and a 13.6 efficiency rating.

The Latvian forward started the season with Nizhny Novgorod where he helped his team to victories over CSKA and Khimki, including a huge 3-pointer in the final seconds of the win vs. Moscow Region.

Berzins moved to Zenit in late January, quickly fitting in at his new club. Zenit's style of play fit Berzins' versatile skill set as a stretch '4'. He's one of the team's most important players and has a huge impact coming off the bench.

Quino Colom, UNICS guard

Stats: 20 of 27 games on the bench (25.4 minutes), 13.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.3 assists and a 16.4 efficiency rating.

Keith Langford may be the biggest star in Kazan, but Quino Colom is still the brains of the team. He takes charge when he enters a game, making sure to get everyone involved on offense. Colom has averaged 6.3 assists per game this season, top-five in the league. He can also score, whether pulling up for a '3' in the pick-and-roll or driving to the basket. Colom is 2nd on the team in scoring behind Langford and has already recorded four double-doubles this season, tops among Sixth Man of the Year contenders.

Petteri Koponen, Khimki guard

Stats: 18 of 27 games on the bench (23.0 minutes), 11.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and a 13.9 efficiency rating.

The reigning Sixth Man of the Year has had an up-and-down campaign, but is still one of the league's top 3-point shooters. He's tough to stop one-on-one. Koponen can attack in motion and isn't afraid to take a big shot. With the arrival of new head coach Dusko Ivanovic, he's become even more effective, and could be saving his best for last. Coming off the bench to make the team better is especially valuable in the playoffs.

Milos Teodosic, CSKA guard

Stats: 21 of 23 games on the bench (22.0 minutes), 12.8 points, 2.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists and a 14.5 efficiency rating.

Milos Teodosic has started almost every game on the bench this season and it's definitely paid off for CSKA. The Serbian playmaker usually comes in near the end of the 1st quarter, giving the team an immediate boost of energy and often helping CSKA take control of tight games. He can score on his own or set up teammates for easy baskets. Teodosic's incisive passing is a trademark of the CSKA offense and he looks like the favorite for the 2015-16 Sixth Man of the Year award.

Jeremy Chappell, Avtodor guard

Stats: 21 of 26 games on the bench (27.4 minutes), 13.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and a 14.9 efficiency rating.

This is Jeremy Chappell's third season in the VTB United League and easily his best on the court. Chappell is a wild card for Avtodor, coming off the bench to shake up the offense and confound opposing defenses. He can run the fast break, knock down the '3' and dish out assists. He's also not afraid of doing the dirty work, ranking as one of the league's top defenders.