NBA Most Improved Player Odds
The NBA Most Improved Player award is one of, if not the hardest, to predict. There are tons of options heading into a season, with different avenues for winning this award. The best way to predict the winner is by looking at the past. When you look at the past 5 winners for Most Improved Player, each individual made their first All-Star team that same season. That trend could be the best way of finding a winner. Here are the three best bets for the Most Improved Player award.
Jalen Williams (+1300)
Jalen Williams and the Oklahoma City Thunder are a perfect marriage, as their paths have mirrored one another over the past two years. The Thunder quickly elevated from a young, up-and-coming team to the number one seed and legit title contenders. Jalen Williams was drafted out of Santa Clara with little knowledge from the public eye of his talent. His first two years couldn’t have gone any better.
His first season saw him grab a 1st Team All-Rookie nod. He followed that up with a 7 ppg jump and finished 4th in the MIP voting. The Thunder are looking to ride their wave of momentum from last regular season to this year’s. If OKC can hold the number one seed heading into the All-Star break, they will most likely receive two All-Stars. Some might look to Chet Holmgren as the second star of the Thunder, but Williams has gone up to a different level in each of his first two seasons.
Williams should be the second banana next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. I expect his averages to increase once again for this title-contending squad. This is his season to jump to that All-Star level that his first two seasons suggest is next up.
Evan Mobley (+1400)
In the offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers decided to lock up Evan Mobley for the next five years for $224 million. The former top-3 pick has shown flashes in his first three seasons in the NBA, but last year was a step down from the previous two. Injuries plagued his 2023-24 season, as he was only able to play 50 games. This season can be Mobley’s coming-out party.
The one aspect of Mobley’s game that is already solidified is his defense. In his second year in the NBA, Mobley was dominant and made 1st Team All-Defense. The next step for Mobley is to be more involved in the offense. The Cavs have two guards who are going to have the ball a lot, but Mobley has solid range and great length to roll to the rim.
We know this is Donovan Mitchell’s team, but if this team wants to contend in the Eastern Conference, it needs to get Mobley more involved in the offense. With a new head coach, I see Mobley making a leap and potentially making his first All-Star team. The ceiling is so high, and the talent is immense. At +1400, Mobley is an excellent bet to take for this award.
Cade Cunningham (+3200)
It feels like a lifetime ago when Cade Cunningham was the first overall pick and touted as a franchise player. Three years have passed and Cade is not talked about in any regard. The biggest reason for that silence is due to the Detroit Pistons and their ineptitude. The team went 14-68 and fired Monty Williams in the process. However, Cade was one of the few revelations.
After missing all but 12 games in 2022-23, Cade played 62 games and averaged 22.7 PPG and 7.5 AST. The talent and potential are still present with him, but the team’s success is missing. The Pistons cannot get any worse. They have a new head coach and added some key players that bring veteran stability.
Cade is entering his 4th year in the NBA and I think the next leap is ready to be taken. If Cade can get to 25 PPG and 8 AST, while winning around 35 games, an All-Star nod is right there for the taking. He has the pedigree and has shown potential greatness. The last hurdle is carrying this team to moderate success. With new additions around the organization, Cade has a shot to win this award and make a gigantic step in his career.
Noel is from Philadelphia, PA. He went to West Chester University and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications in Media & Culture.
