LeBron: Wade should be 'No. 1 candidate' for Sixth Man

LeBron James wants his good friend Dwyane Wade to receive the recognition he deserves for accepting and thriving in a bench role.

James trumpeted Wade as the leading candidate for Sixth Man of the Year at shootaround on Saturday in advance of the Cleveland Cavaliers going for their 11th straight win.

"He's probably the No. 1 candidate," James told ESPN's Nick Friedell. "Not even being biased, that's one of my best friends. Just looking at the teams."

Wade was initially a Cavaliers starter to begin the season, but the fit wasn't right so the future Hall of Famer sacrificed and joined the second unit. He shifted roles once more to become the backup point guard after a rash of injuries, and suddenly something clicked.

Cleveland reeled off 10 straight wins, and Wade has been a catalyst. He's averaging 13.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, four assists, 1.4 steals, and a block in 24.6 minutes off the bench during the streak.

But Wade is just a handful of players who've enjoyed strong campaigns as sixth men. Rodney Hood, Tyreke Evans, and Lou Williams are all averaging 17 points or better off the bench, while players like Jonathon Simmons and Julius Randle have provided two-way production. There are also a handful of worthy candidates on the Toronto Raptors, who have the league's best bench by net rating.