One of the most intriguing awards to track throughout the NBA season is Most Improved Player. We generally come into the year with a good idea of who the league’s best players are, but there’s always one who exceeds expectations and earns his first All-Star nod.
Tyrese Maxey achieved that feat in 2023-24, posting career-high marks in points (25.9), rebounds (3.7), and assists (6.2) per game. The 23-year-old was also a reliable part of the rotation for the 76ers, appearing in 70 out of 82 contests.
This year’s field is filled to the brim with top-tier talent, so let’s take a look at the 2024-25 NBA MIP odds and make a few predictions.
All NBA lines are current as of Thursday, July 25, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
NBA Most Improved Player Odds
- Victor Wembanyama (+1000)
- Evan Mobley (+1000)
- Jonathan Kuminga (+1400)
- Scottie Barnes (+1600)
- Jalen Williams (+2000)
- Cade Cunningham (+2000)
- Scoot Henderson (+2000)
- Brandin Podziemski (+2000)
- Josh Giddey (+2500)
- Immanuel Quickley (+2500)
- Jalen Johnson (+2500)
All other NBA Most Improved Player candidates have (+3000) odds or longer.
Who Will Win NBA MIP?
Victor Wembanyama (+1000)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
The season hasn’t even started yet, but this already feels like a foregone conclusion. Wembanyama had one of the most phenomenal rookie campaigns we’ve seen this century, and still, the 20-year-old has nothing but room to grow.
Wembanyama averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and a league-high 3.6 blocks across 71 appearances for San Antonio in 2023-24, and his numbers only got more ridiculous as the year progressed. He also had his minutes restricted for large chunks of the season and finished the campaign at 29.7 per game.
Not only can we expect some progression, but the Spurs also brought in veteran point guard Chris Paul this summer, who figures to do a much better job of getting Wembanyama the ball than any of his teammates did in Year 1. As if things weren’t already easy enough for Wemby, he’s on track to be even more dominant.
So long as he reaches the NBA’s 65-game threshold, Wembanyama will be a shoo-in for his first All-Star appearance and as strong a candidate as any to be named the league’s Most Improved Player. Take advantage of the (+1000) price tag and make this your NBA bet of the day.
NBA Most Improved Player Favorites
Evan Mobley (+1000)
DraftKings Sportsbook
Oddsmakers appear to be expecting big things out of Mobley as he enters his fourth year in the NBA. The 23-year-old signed a five-year maximum extension worth up to $269 million to remain in Cleveland this summer, cementing himself as one of the franchise’s most important players.
Mobley impressed in 50 games for the Cavaliers in 2023-24, averaging 15.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.4 blocks. His three-point shot also became much more reliable, knocking down a career-high 37.3% from deep after posting a 21.6% clip the year prior.
With that said, Mobley’s potential feels somewhat capped by the presence of Jarrett Allen (and Donovan Mitchell, to a lesser extent), so it’s difficult to imagine he’ll make the statistical leap necessary to win this award. He certainly deserves to be in this conversation, but not as one of the front-runners.
Jonathan Kuminga (+1400)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Units
It’s the end of an era for Golden State. Klay Thompson departed the franchise to join the Dallas Mavericks, leaving a sizable hole to fill alongside Stephen Curry. As the Warriors look toward the future, it’s time for them to focus on featuring their next superstar in the making: Jonathan Kuminga.
The 21-year-old already made a drastic leap forward this past year, posting career-high marks in points (16.1), rebounds (4.8), and assists (2.2) despite playing just 26.3 minutes per game. As a full-time starter and with an uptick in usage, Kuminga could put up some big numbers in this offense.
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Earning All-Star honors in the ultra-competitive Western Conference won’t be easy, but if Kuminga can follow in Maxey’s footsteps and make a similar leap, he should at least be a finalist for NBA MIP. Consider a smaller wager at (+1400).
NBA Most Improved Player Contenders
Scottie Barnes (+1600)
DraftKings Sportsbook
Barnes was featured in this space last season, and he was making a compelling argument to rival Maxey in the race before a hand injury forced him out for the remainder of the year in early March. Unfortunately, Barnes came up five games shy of maintaining eligibility for the NBA’s year-end awards, so he was left off the list.
The fourth-year forward is in position to take another step forward in 2024-25 — especially since he won’t be starting the season with OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam this time — but I can’t help but feel that his All-Star selection this past year could cause voters to overlook his MIP campaign.
Toronto also has a few other mouths to feed in RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, and while Barnes will likely spend plenty of time distributing to those two, I question whether the opportunity is there for him to improve enough as a scorer to win this award.
Jalen Williams (+2000)
DraftKings Sportsbook
The Thunder were one of the NBA’s biggest surprises in 2023-24, and part of that had to do with the impressive play of second-year swingman Jalen Williams. The 23-year-old averaged 19.1 points per game on efficient .540/.427/.814 shooting splits and appeared in 71 contests.
J-Dub remains the unquestioned No. 2 option behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and with the departure of Josh Giddey, the opportunity is there for him to take on a larger offensive role as he enters Year 3.
- NEW: The Thunder are rising high in our 2024-25 NBA Power Rankings.
Williams is just on the cusp of being an All-Star-caliber talent, and I don’t doubt that he has what it takes to get over the hump and achieve it as soon as this year. I’m not willing to toss a wager his way just yet, but I’m eager to see where he stands come December.
NBA Most Improved Player Sleepers
Jalen Johnson (+2500)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.25 Units
Like Barnes, Johnson was well on his way to being one of the top contenders in the 2023-24 NBA MIP race before injuries effectively took him out of the running. He took a staggering leap this past season, averaging 16.0 points and 8.7 rebounds after notching 5.6 points and 4.0 rebounds the year prior.
Fortunately, Johnson should have even more room to grow in 2024-25. The departure of Dejounte Murray has opened the door for the 22-year-old to serve as the second option to Trae Young, and his ability to stuff the stat sheet could provide a significant boost to his campaign.
He may not look like much more than a double-double machine, but his playmaking is the real X factor. Johnson logged five or more assists in 15 games last year, including a 28-14-11 triple-double in early April. Put me down for a small wager at (+2500).
Deni Avdija (+3000)
DraftKings Sportsbook
It’s no surprise to see Avdija on this list, but I’m a bit surprised by the (+3000) odds. The fifth-year forward was shipped off to Portland this summer, where he could possibly take on an even larger role than the one he had in Washington.
Avdija is quietly one of the league’s more well-rounded wings in the NBA, averaging 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 75 games for the Wizards last season. He also had one of the most impressive one-off performances of the year, posting 43 points and 15 boards in a loss to the Pelicans last February.
His understated play and personality won’t help him in this race, though, and neither will guys like Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, or Jerami Grant, should he remain with the Trail Blazers. Avdija has potential, but I’m not sure the opportunity is quite there yet.
