Payton Pritchard Biography: Celtics Guard and 2025 NBA Sixth Man of the Year
Payton Pritchard is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. Drafted 26th overall in 2020 out of Oregon, he won the 2024 NBA championship, was named the 2025 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, and agreed to a two-year, $44.2 million extension on October 13, 2026.
| Payton Pritchard: Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Payton Michael Pritchard |
| Born | January 28, 1998, Tualatin, Oregon, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Height / Weight | 6’1″ (1.85 m) / 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Position | Point guard / shooting guard |
| Team | Boston Celtics (#11), 2020–present |
| College | Oregon Ducks (2016–2020) |
| Known for | 2024 NBA champion; 2025 NBA Sixth Man of the Year |
| Spouse | Emma MacDonald (married 2024) |
Early life and background
Payton Michael Pritchard was born on January 28, 1998, in Tualatin, Oregon, and grew up in nearby West Linn (Heavy). His father Terry played football at Oklahoma, and the family briefly had Payton committed to Oklahoma before he chose to stay home and play for Oregon (Heavy).
At West Linn High School, Pritchard became one of the most decorated players in Oregon prep history, winning four consecutive state championships (Wikipedia; Heavy).
College career at Oregon
Pritchard played four seasons for the Oregon Ducks from 2016 to 2020 (Wikipedia). As a senior in 2019–20 he averaged 20.5 points, 5.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game (Heavy), collecting Pac-12 Player of the Year, consensus first-team All-American, the Bob Cousy Award as the nation’s top point guard, and the Lute Olson Award (Wikipedia; RealGM).
NBA career: from late first-rounder to Celtic mainstay
The Boston Celtics selected Pritchard 26th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft (Land of Basketball; Wikipedia). He signed a four-year rookie-scale deal worth $10.45 million (Spotrac), reached the 2022 NBA Finals (losing to Golden State), then signed a four-year, $30 million rookie-scale extension in October 2023 (Spotrac; Hoops Rumors). He has never played for another NBA team.
In 2024 Pritchard became an NBA champion as the Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks 4–1, closing out the series 106–88 at TD Garden on June 17, 2024 for the franchise’s record 18th title (AP). His 49-foot half-court heave at the end of the first half of the clinching Game 5 was reported as the longest shot in NBA Finals history (Indy Chronicler).
The 2024–25 season was his breakout: 80 games, career highs of 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists — and an NBA single-season record 255 three-pointers off the bench (Reuters; Daily Campus). On April 22, 2025 he was named the 2025 NBA Sixth Man of the Year in a landslide: 454 points and 82 of 100 first-place votes, well clear of Malik Beasley (279) and Ty Jerome (91) (Reuters).
Then came his career year. In 2025–26, with a larger role after the trade of Jrue Holiday to Portland and the Achilles injury that sidelined Jayson Tatum for most of the season, Pritchard started 50 of 79 games and posted career highs of 17.0 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds on .464/.377/.890 shooting (Hoops Rumors).
On October 13, 2026 Pritchard and the Celtics agreed to a two-year, $44.2 million extension with a mutual option for 2029–30, reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania via Pritchard’s agents, Austin Brown and Max Saidman of CAA (NBC Sports Boston; Hoops Rumors). It will make him Boston’s third-highest-paid player once it kicks in, behind Jayson Tatum and Derrick White (NESN).
Major achievements
- NBA champion (2024) — Boston Celtics
- NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2025)
- NBA single-season record: most three-pointers made off the bench (255, 2024–25)
- Pac-12 Player of the Year (2020), consensus first-team All-American (2020)
- Bob Cousy Award (2020), Lute Olson Award (2020), Pac-12 Tournament MOP (2019)
- Four consecutive Oregon state championships, West Linn High School
Personal life
Pritchard is married to Emma MacDonald, a YouTuber and social-media creator. The couple met around 2021, got engaged on a Cape Cod beach in July 2023, and married on August 10, 2024, at the Wychmere Beach Club in Harwich Port, Massachusetts — with former Celtics teammate Blake Griffin officiating (ESPN; Sports Illustrated).
Net worth snapshot
As of October 2026, Payton Pritchard’s net worth is estimated in the $16–27.7 million range across 2026 aggregator estimates — no Forbes, Bloomberg or Hurun figure exists for him, and all published estimates predate his $44.2 million extension. His verified NBA career earnings through 2025–26 total $24.43 million (Spotrac). Read the full breakdown in Payton Pritchard’s net worth, including his salary timeline, the Nike endorsement deal and our transparent estimate methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Payton Pritchard?
Payton Pritchard is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. The 6’1″ point guard, drafted 26th overall in 2020 out of Oregon, won the 2024 NBA championship and was named the 2025 NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
How old is Payton Pritchard?
Payton Pritchard was born on January 28, 1998, in Tualatin, Oregon — making him 28 years old as of October 2026.
What team does Payton Pritchard play for?
Pritchard has played his entire NBA career for the Boston Celtics, who drafted him 26th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. His new extension keeps him under contract through the 2029–30 season.
Did Payton Pritchard win Sixth Man of the Year?
Yes. Pritchard won the 2025 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award (April 22, 2025) in a landslide — 454 points and 82 of 100 first-place votes — after setting the NBA single-season record of 255 three-pointers off the bench.
Sources
- NBC Sports Boston — Oct 13, 2026 extension report
- Hoops Rumors — extension terms, salary breakdown
- Reuters — 2025 Sixth Man of the Year voting results
- Spotrac — contract and salary history
- Wikipedia — biography skeleton, awards, career chronology
- ESPN — wedding and personal details
- AP — 2024 championship