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From left to right: Coby White, Jalen Williams, Jonathan Kuminga and RJ Barrett (Credit: Getty … [+] Images/NBA)
Credit: Getty Images
The Most Improved Player conversation is always a tricky one. Are you gauging improvement based on just the season-to-season leap any given player made? How much of that growth do you attribute to just more opportunity versus actual improvement? Is it more valuable to improve from a starter to an all-star or from a role player to a starter?
In short: How do you define most improved?
In the end, it all comes down to preference. People will have their own unwritten rules. A common one is “No second-year player should win the award because improvement is natural” and while it’s not a given, you can understand that line of thinking. Another common one: “Lottery picks shouldn’t win the award”. And while that hasn’t been the case, there’s a rationale there, especially as of late.
Either way — this award tends to be one that’s granted to the player who becomes a first-time All-star, claiming to the whole NBA world “I am here to stay.” Lauri Markkanen, Ja Morant, Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram, Pascal Siakam, even Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jimmy Butler, and Paul George are all winners in the last 10 years that prove this theory. It’s the main reason why Tyrese Maxey, who has become an All-Star this season as the Sixers star guard is the odds-on favorite to claim this year’s award.
But… there is more out there. In every nook and cranny of the league, you can find little pieces of improvement. A player going from bad to good, from out of the rotation to in the rotation, from bench player to starter, the whole nine yards.
I’ve always thought that instead of a single ‘Most Improved’ award, the NBA should do ‘Most Improved Teams’, similar to All-NBA and All-Defense.
That said, I made three teams filled with guys who deserve Most Improved love.
Note: I excluded the first-time All-Stars, just to give appreciation to players who haven’t received as much attention. So no Maxey, no Paolo Banchero, Jalen Brunson or Scottie Barnes.
Honorable Mentions: Simone Fontecchio, Duncan Robinson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jabari Smith Jr, Devin Vassell, Ayo Dosunmu, Naz Reid, Santi Aldama, Lu Dort, Day’Ron Sharpe, Goga Bitadze, Mo Wagner, Donte DiVincenzo, and Sam Merrill
First-Team All-Improved
From left to right: Coby White, Jalen Johnson, Alperen Sengun, Jalen Williams and Jonathan Kuminga … [+] (Credit: Getty Images)
Credit: Getty Images
Coby White
2022-2023 averages: 9.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists on 44/37/87 shooting splits
2023-2024 averages: 19.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists on 45/ 39/83 shooting splits
White has turned himself into a legitimate starting point guard in this league. The improvements as a ball-handler and playmaker started late last season and this year, he has fully assumed the role of floor-general for the Chicago Bulls, orchestrating their offense, using his chance of pace and elite pull-up shooting to be an electric offensive weapon. He also leads the team in plus/minus so the impact is there. If Maxey wasn’t going to win the award, it would be White who would be the most deserving.
Jalen Johnson
2022-2023 averages: 5.6 points, 4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1 stock on 49/28/62 shooting splits
2023-2024 averages: 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2 stocks on 52/35/72 shooting splits
Johnson went from a rotation player to a foundational building block for the Hawks this season. The Swiss-army knife forward has improved in practically all facets of the game and is being empowered to make plays with the ball in his hands more often. His improved shooting has made it more feasible for him to stay on the floor and he’s deadly in transition with his combination of size and speed. He looks like a potential All-Star, actualizing his talent and that’s given a vision for the Hawks moving forward.
Alperen Sengun
2022-2023 averages: 14.8 points, 9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2 stocks on 55/33/71 shooting splits
2023-2024 averages: 21.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 stocks on 54/30/70 shooting splits
An offensive hub who’s herky-jerky and unorthodox style helps him find crevices that other players just can’t find. Sengun’s been empowered more in Ime Udoka’s offense, especially through delay actions and pick-and-roll plays with point guard Fred VanVleet to become the focal point of the Rockets offense. Houston has also done a better job of mitigating his mistakes on defense and it’s turned him into a future All-Star.
Jalen Williams
2022-2023 averages: 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.4 steals on 52/35/81 shooting splits
2023-2024 averages: 19.3 points, 4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.1 steals on 54/45/81 shooting splits
Everything J-Dub does on the court screams future superstar. This season with the Thunder, he’s become the de facto number 2 option on one of the best teams in the Western Conference, all while improving as a shooter and playmaker. Oftentimes, in the flow of the game, it will be Williams who carries the Thunder bench lineups as their point-forward facilitator. The more OKC empowers him, the more he’s capable of doing.
Jonathan Kuminga
2022-2023 averages: 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists on 52/37/65 shooting splits
2023-2024 averages: 15.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists on 53/30/73 shooting splits
Kuminga has leveraged his strength and speed to become a dominant driving force for the Warriors, brutalizing the rim every chance he gets. What he lacks in versatility as a scorer, doesn’t necessarily matter when he’s so proficient at the basket — knocking down over 59% of his 2’s on almost 10 attempts a game. He’s also shown flashes of his defensive potential ever since he’s become a permanent starter and if he can put it all together, will eventually become a 2-way beast.
Second-Team All-Improved
From left to right: Jalen Suggs, Derrick White, Collin Sexton, Herbert Jones, and Deni Avdija … [+] (Credit: Getty Images)
Credit: Getty Images
Jalen Suggs
2022-2023 averages: 9.9 points, 3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.3 steals on 41/32/72 shooting splits
2023-2024 averages: 12.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.5 steals on 46/40/76 shooting splits
Suggs has been a revelation for the Orlando Magic on defense this season. He’s like a free safety who can quarterback their defense at the point of attack, spring into passing lanes for interceptions and telegraph plays before they even happen. It just so happens that he’s also improved vastly as an offensive player too. After shooting just 29% from three in his first 2 seasons, Suggs is knocking down 40% of his threes on over 4 attempts a game. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner get a lot of love, but Suggs’s 2-way performance this season has been just as pivotal to Orlando’s success.
Derrick White
2022-2023 averages: 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists on 46/38/87 shooting splits
2023-2024 averages: 15 points, 4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1 steal, 1.2 blocks on 47/40/89 shooting splits
White was toying with an All-Star berth this season and rightfully so. With the departure of Marcus Smart, the 29-year-old guard has become the primary ball-handler for the best team in the NBA and he’s flirting with a 50-40-90 season. He’s become more efficient offensively and has explored his shot-creation ability more often and his defense at the point-of-attack this season is up there with some of the best guards in the league.
Collin Sexton
2022-2023 averages: 14.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists on 50/39/80 shooting
2023-2024 averages: 18 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists on 49/40/86 shooting splits
Utah Jazz Head Coach Will Hardy has allowed Sexton to be himself this season. Don’t get me wrong, Sexton has had successful seasons in the past, particularly in Cleveland, where he showed off his ability to be a scorer — but this season, we’re seeing a much more well-rounded game from him. He’s become a better passer and playmaker, using his ability to get downhill to create shots for his teammates and his vast improvement on that end lands him on this list.
Herb Jones
2022-2023 averages: 9.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.6 steals on 46/33/76 shooting splits
2023-2024 averages: 11.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals on 51/43/85 shooting splits
On the surface, his statistical leaps might seem small in comparison to others but the main thing with Herb Jones is his unbelievable improvement as a 3-point shooter, jumping 10% from his first 2 seasons in the league. He’s mastered the corner 3, knocking down over 46% of his shots from there and the reason that’s important is because it’s helped him stay on the floor. He’s no longer an offensive liability who depends on his incredible defensive ability to get playing time, instead, he’s morphing into a 2-way beast that is a big part of the New Orleans Pelicans’ success this season.
Deni Avdija
2022-2023 averages: 9.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists on 43/29/73 shooting splits
2023-2024 averages: 13.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists on 50/39/75 shooting splits
Much like Herb, Avdija has made it much more feasible for him to stay on the floor by expanding his arsenal offensively, particularly as a 3-point shooter. He was already an adept point-forward defender for the Washington Wizards but now that he’s knocking down his shots, he’s showing off real promises as a legitimate starter in the NBA.
Third-Team All-Improved
From left to right: Vince Williams Jr, Peyton Watson, Aaron Nesmith, Max Strus and RJ Barrett
Credit: Getty Images
Vince Williams Jr.
2022-2023 averages: 2 points, 1 rebound, 15 games played
2023-2024 averages: 9.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists on 44/37/80 shooting splits while starting in 32 games
The Memphis Grizzlies have had an injury-riddled season. But the bright side is that they’ve been able to find gems like Vince Williams Jr to add to their core when they’re fully healthy next year. He’s a Swiss-army knife guard defender who plays bigger than he is and has shown some flashes of making plays with the ball. Ultimately, he went from a player who wasn’t even in the rotation to a guy who will be an impact player for them next season when they’re fully healthy, marking yet again another success story for the Grizzlies’ development program.
Peyton Watson
2022-2023 averages: 3.3 points, 1.6 rebounds, 23 games played
2023-2024 averages: 6.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1 block and 61 games played
With Bruce Brown and Jeff Green gone, the defending champion Nuggets were going to lean on their young prospects more and Watson has made the most of his extra opportunity. He is a versatile defensive-minded forward who has been awesome as a weak-side shot-blocker. His athleticism and speed make him a force to deal with in transition and has the feel necessary to play alongside Nikola Jokic. The offense is still a work in progress but his defense has helped Denver’s bench units look good all season.
Aaron Nesmith
2022-2023 averages: 10 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists on 42/36/83 shooting splits
2023-2024 averages: 12 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1 steal on 50/44/71 shooting splits
Nesmith has been one of the only positive defenders on the Indiana Pacers this season, which makes him all that more pivotal to everything they do. On most nights, he’s being tasked with guarding the best player on the opposing team and he’s doing that while re-gaining the shooting stroke he was known for in college. He went from a non-NBA player in Boston to a key rotation player on a playoff team and a solid 3-and-wing.
Max Strus
2022-2023 averages: 11.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists on 41/35/87 shooting splits
2023-2024 averages: 12.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists on 41/34/78 shooting splits
I know Miami Heat fans believe that former Heat players don’t do as well when they leave the nest but that hasn’t been true with Strus. The Cavaliers have empowered him to be a playmaker, working to find Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in dribble-hand-offs and he’s even being asked to play the power-forward position alongside those two. In short: he’s even more well-rounded than he was in his days in Miami and has become a crucial part of an awesome season in Cleveland.
RJ Barrett
2022-2023 averages: 19.6 points, 5 rebounds, 2.8 assists on 43/31/74 shooting splits
2023-2024 averages (Toronto): 20.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists on 55/42/58 shooting splits
RJ Barrett’s 26 games with the Raptors have been fascinating. He’s playing the best basketball of his career and posting career-highs in virtually every sort of shot, including shooting a whopping 60% on 2-pointers and boasting the best effective field-goal percentage of his career. Add to the fact that the Raptors are empowering him to be more of a playmaker and to play up in position (he’s more of a power-forward than a shooting guard since joining the team), he looks like a completely different player than his time in New York. That being said, most people are waiting for the other shoe to drop — because Barrett has gone through swings of inconsistency throughout his career. But, I’m not sure it will. What he’s doing offensively in Toronto feels, looks, and is sustainable. And that’s why he lands on this list. (All love to Immanuel Quickley, but he’s going to be in the running for the actual award next season).
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