Best 6th Man of the Draft Since Robert Rowell's Balls Dropped

It's looking like Jamal Crawford has about locked up the 2010 6th Man of the Year Award.  Unless I've got the national media as snively about this as they sometimes seem and they go agenda vote on us all yet again as the reality of the GQ Curry Show Hype and Gimmicks Marketing Campaign smacks everyone in their self-righteous, one-month-of-college-basketball-discussing, nice-story-loving, pretty-mouth-infatuated faces.

Now seems like a good time to review the best 6th men drafted since Robert Rowell has worked for the Golden State Warriors (1995: "I've been here 9 years!").  Lied about that one, too.

Not every year features a great 6th man. In 2001, for example, no prototypical 6th man was really drafted. So I plugged Shane Battier into this list.  It should make everyone feel better if they really think about it.  But it will probably make them feel really bad after that if they REALLY think about it.  Likewise, 1996 saw no real 6th man talent come to the podium for a clammy Stern handshake.  But Todd Fuller and Kobe Bryant DID cross the stage that year a mere 2 picks apart!

If a player ever won 6th Man of the Year, I give him honorable mention in his draft year in the event another player has since passed him up for career bench role playing excellence.  Mike Miller, Rookie of the Year in 2001 and 6th Man of the Year in 2006, however, does not beat out Jamal Crawford because then my awesome list would not be as funny.  Or maybe it would.  Mike Miller won Rookie of the Year after being drafted 5th.  OK, you talked me into it.  Co-6th Man Draftees of the Year for 2000.  Once Crawford wins 6th Man of the Year, 2000 will forever live on as the Greatest 6th Man Draft Year In The History of The NBA Ever Since 1999 Unless 2009 surpasses it.

Year: Player (Draft Position)  [Warriors Pick - Position]
1995: Jerry Stackhouse (3)  HM: Corliss Williamson (13)  [Joe Smith - 1]
1996: Kobe Bryant (13)  [Todd Fuller - 11]
1997: Tim Thomas (7)  [Adonal Foyle - 8]
1998: Antawn Jamison (4)  [Vince Carter - 5, traded for Antawn Jamison - 4]
1999: Jason Terry (10) & Manu Ginobili (57)  [Jeff Foster - 21, traded for Vonteego Cummings - 26]
2000: Mike Miller (5) & Jamal Crawford (8)  [no pick]
2001: Shane Battier (6)  [Jason Richardson - 5]
2002: Matt Barnes (46)  [Mike Dunleavy - 3]
2003: Leandro Barbosa (28)  [Mickael Pietrus - 11]
2004: Ben Gordon (3)  [Andris Biedrins - 11]
2005: Nate Robinson (21)  [Ike Diogu - 9, Monta Ellis - 40]
2006: JJ Redick (11)  [Patrick O'Bryant - 9]
2007: Jared Dudley (22) & Rudy Fernandez (24) [Marco Belinelli - 18]
2008: DJ Augustin (9) & Jerryd Bayless (11)  [Anthony Randolph - 14]
2009: ????????? (?)  [Stephen Curry - 7]