NBA: The top 7 candidates to win Most Improved Player of the Year

NBA Toronto Raptors Pascal Siakam (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
NBA Toronto Raptors Pascal Siakam (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Raptors Pascal Siakam (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Who will win the NBA’s Most Improve Player of the Year award? We explore the seven best candidates

The NBA most improved player award often gets overlooked and forgotten about with all the other fanfare and excitement surrounding the main events like the MVP, defensive player of the year and rookie of the year.

But the MIP award signifies a player’s hard work; a player’s commitment and dedication to the game and often serves as a stepping stone for the winner to inch closer to true stardom.

This year, the race for NBA most improved player is a close one with numerous legitimate candidates emerging as the season has progressed.

Let’s look at some of the guys who deserve to be considered for this award…

Honorable Mentions

Joel Embiid

Has taken yet another leap in year three, becoming a true superstar and MVP-caliber player.

Nikola Vucevic

Continues to improve his perimeter game, making him more valuable in today’s NBA. Was named as a first-time All-Star this year.

Terrence Ross

Vuc’s Orlando teammate has had a huge bounce-back season this year and is putting up career-high scoring numbers.

Emmanuel Mudiay

Considered a bust by many, Mudiay has finally begun putting the pieces together, refining his game and making the most of his insane talent.

Derrick Rose

He’s gone from looking like he’d be out of the league soon to the second leading scorer on the T’Wolves. He’s revitalised his jumpshot; he looks healthy and he’s been playing at a borderline all-star level all year.

Justise Winslow

Since moving over to the starting point guard position for the Heat, Winslow has looked like a new man. Looking like he could blossom into a star in the next year or two.

Josh Richardson

Winslow’s Miami teammate has also taken a big leap this year, becoming more of a go-to scoring option.

Montrezl Harrell

Harrell has become the ideal energy guy, coming off the bench for the Clippers and is putting up around 15 points and 7 boards a night.