The NBA Most Improved Player award is basically a "who are you and what did you do with the guy from last year?" trophy. It’s for the players who spent their summer in a dark gym and came back looking like they swapped souls with an All-Star.
Usually, the winner is someone like Tyrese Maxey. You know, the guy who was already good but suddenly decided to start scoring 30 points a night because why not? Maxey took that leap in 2024, jumping from a solid starter to the "engine" of the Philadelphia 76ers. Honestly, watching him go from 20.3 points to 25.9 points per game was like watching a car shift into a gear nobody knew it had.
But lately, the criteria for the NBA Most Improved Player has felt... messy.
What is an "Improved" Player anyway?
Is it just a guy getting more minutes? Or a guy finally being "the man" on a bad team? If you ask a hardcore fan, they’ll tell you it should be about skill development, not just a bigger role.
Look at Dyson Daniels. Last year, he absolutely shocked everyone by snagging the 2024-25 MIP trophy. He didn't just score more; he became a defensive nightmare. People started calling him "The Great Barrier Thief" because he was averaging over 3.0 steals per game. That’s unheard of in the modern era. He jumped his scoring by 8.3 points, sure, but he also led the league in deflections. That is a real, tangible improvement in impact, not just a usage bump.
💡 You might also like: Travis Hunter Preseason Highlights: Why Everyone Is Still Obsessing Over Him
The "Star Turning Superstar" Problem
Then you've got the guys who are already stars.
- Lauri Markkanen won it in 2023. He went from a "maybe he's a bust" in Cleveland to "Finnish Freak" in Utah.
- Ja Morant won it in 2022. This one actually annoyed some people. Ja was already the number two pick! Most people felt he was supposed to be that good. Even Ja tried to give the trophy to his teammate Desmond Bane.
- Jalen Brunson almost won it in 2024 but ended up finishing high in MVP voting instead.
There’s this weird unwritten rule that if you’re too good, you can’t win Most Improved. You’re just "ascending." It's a fine line.
The 2026 Frontrunners: Who's for Real?
Right now, the 2025-26 race is wide open. If you look at the betting odds, names like Deni Avdija and Jalen Johnson are everywhere.
Avdija is a fascinating case. He was kind of "just a guy" in Washington for years. Now in Portland, he’s having 40-point nights and looking like a franchise cornerstone. People are finally seeing the "Point Forward" vision that made him a top pick. His confidence is just... different. You can see it in how he carries himself on the court. He isn't hesitating on his jumper anymore.
The Dark Horses
Don’t sleep on Andrew Nembhard in Indiana or even Amen Thompson in Houston.
Amen is terrifying. If he ever develops a consistent three-point shot, the league is in serious trouble. He’s already an elite defender and a freak athlete. If his scoring jumps into the high teens this year, he’s going to be a lock for the finalist list.
Then there’s Cade Cunningham. He’s putting up MVP-type numbers for a Detroit Pistons team that is actually—wait for it—winning games. He’s averaging nearly 27 points and 10 assists. Is that "improvement" or just a healthy star finally getting his flowers? That’s the debate that happens every single April.
Why this award matters for your fantasy team
If you can spot the NBA Most Improved Player in October, you basically win your fantasy league.
Players like Jalen Williams (JDub) in Oklahoma City or Evan Mobley in Cleveland are the archetypes you look for. They have the pedigree. They have the playing time. They just need that one skill—like JDub’s playmaking or Mobley’s floor spacing—to click.
✨ Don't miss: Premier League Schedule Today: Why Saturday Kickoffs Still Feel So Chaotic
When it clicks, their value triples.
What most people get wrong about the MIP
People think it's a "Sophomore Award." It’s actually not. Voters usually hate giving it to second-year players because they expect second-year players to get better. It’s almost a penalty.
The sweet spot is year three or year four. That’s when the "leap" usually happens. It’s when the game slows down. You stop reacting and start predicting.
How to Predict the Winner
- The Trade Effect: Did the player move to a team where they are now a top-2 option? (See: Lauri Markkanen, Dyson Daniels).
- The Vacancy: Did an All-Star teammate leave or get injured? (See: Tyrese Maxey after the Harden drama).
- The Shooting Leap: Did their 3-point percentage jump by 5-7%? That usually opens up everything else.
Honestly, the MIP is the most fun award because it’s about the grind. It’s about the guys who weren't born superstars but decided they were going to become one anyway.
If you're watching games tonight, look for the guy who is suddenly taking shots he used to pass up. Look for the guy whose coach is actually letting him run the offense in the fourth quarter. That’s your winner.
🔗 Read more: York County Football Scores: What Most People Get Wrong
Track these three specific metrics over the next month to see who is actually pulling away in the race: - Usage Rate: A jump of 5% or more is a massive signal of a role change.
- True Shooting Percentage (TS%): If a player’s volume goes up and their efficiency stays high, they are the real deal.
- Clutch Points: Voters love players who perform when the lights are brightest.