Paul George, Kevin Love, Monta Ellis, Zach Randolph, Gilbert Arenas and Tracy McGrady. What do the aforementioned players have in common?
You’re right, each of them has won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. This prestigious accolade is given to the NBA player who has, you guessed it, improved the most in the last season. Sometimes it is given to players who finally saw the minutes they deserved, but other times a player has just burst onto the scene to become a star.
As you can see, some very good NBA players have won this award. Who are the top five candidates for the award this year? Here are our NBA awards predictions, which focuses on the top-five most improved players in the Association. Starting the list is…
5) Joakim Noah
Joakim Noah. Photo via Bob DeChiara, USA Today Sports Images
After the past two months, seeing how well Noah has played, it is quite odd to say he is a candidate, but…
Last season, the former Florida Gator averaged 11.9 points per game, 11.1 rebounds per game and four assists per game. This season he is averaging 12.4 points per game, 11.1 rebounds per game and over five assists per game. Now, that does not seem like much improvement, but the true growth is in the second half of this season.
Since the All-Star break, Noah has averaged 13.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and a whopping seven assists per game. The reason that seven assists per game is “whopping” is because Noah is a center. Seven assists per game as a center is almost unheard of. The all-time record was eight and a half per game set by Wilt Chamberlain. Seeing as Noah has become one of the best centers in the NBA earns him a spot in the top five.
4) Goran Dragic
Goran Dragic. Photo by Rick Scuteri, USA Sports Images
Dragic has improved each and every year, but hasn’t had his shot to be the guy until last season. Last year, Dragic averaged 14.7 points, 7.4 assists and three rebounds per game. But, this year he has become one of the better guards out west.
So far this season, the former Slovenian has been on fire. Averaging 20.5 points and six assists per game will put you at the top of any list, especially as a possible Most Improved Player candidate. The best part of Dragic’s growth may be the fact that he is shooting over 51% from the floor, which is a career high by far.
Dragic could be a sleeper to win this award, but on this list he is fourth. What could possibly be better than Dragic’s improvement?
3) Isaiah Thomas
Isaiah Thomas. Photo by Kelley L Cox, USA Today Sports Images
Can IT2 be the first Isaiah Thomas to win this award?
Thomas was the 30th pick in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft. There were 59 players taken before him. I bet you 29 teams are upset they passed on the young point guard from Washington. Last season, IT2 averaged 14 points, two rebounds and four assists. Not bad for a late second-round pick.
This year, however, Thomas is averaging 20 points, six rebounds and three assists. That is almost double his overall production in one season. Thomas plays for one of the worst teams in the NBA, which may hurt him in the voting. But, he has improved a great deal in one season.
2) Lance Stephenson
Lance Stephenson. Photo by Pat Lovell, USA Today Sports Images
Heading in to the 2013-14 season, the Indiana Pacers were Paul George’s team with a bunch of good role players, Lance Stephenson included.
As we head towards the playoffs, there is no doubt that the Pacers have two stars in their starting lineup, one being the former Cincinnati Bearcat in Stephenson. Last season he averaged nine points, four rebounds and three assists per game. But this season he has been able to put on a show each and every night averaging 14 points, 7.5 rebounds and five assists to ago along with a shooting percentage of just under 50 percent.
Those numbers sound hard to beat, so why is he number two on our list?
1) Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis. Photo by Derick E. Hingle, USA Today Sports Images
As odd as it sounds, yes a former first overall pick in his second season can be the top candidate for Most Improved Player.
As a rookie, Anthony “Brow” Davis averaged 13.5 points, just over eight rebounds and one assist per game to go along with one steal and just under two blocks per game. This year however, the former Kentucky Wildcat is averaging 21.3 points per game, 10.3 rebounds per game and over 1.5 per game. But, that isn’t even the best part.
Davis is averaging just a tad under three blocks per game this year, a full block per game more than last year. He is second in the NBA with 180 blocks (just eight behind Serge Ibaka of the Thunder) and he has become one of the most dominant big men in the NBA. Davis just turned 21, and will be a force to be reckoned with for the next decade.
Photo: Derick E. Hingle, USA Today Sports Images
In addition to writing here at Sportsnaut, Josh covers fantasy sports, NFL Draft, and daily fantasy sports at sites across the internet. His work has been seen on Pro Football Focus, eDraft, XNSports, Project Roto, The Chicago Tribune, Philly.com and others.