5 best Most Improved Player of the Year candidates after 9 days of 2023-24 NBA season

The NBA Most Improved Player of the Year (MIP) award is often overlooked by basketball fans. For teams, though, having a breakout star will always be a thrilling surprise.

Last season, Lauri Markkanen put on a stunning performance after he was traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Utah Jazz. He earned his first All-Star selection and won the MIP by season’s end.

Leading into this season, Mikal Bridges was a big favorite to win the George Mikan Trophy. He had a spectacular 27-game run for the Brooklyn Nets following his trade from the Phoenix Suns. Bridges, though, is off to a slow start.

There are emerging talents who could sustain their form and challenge for the NBA Most Improved Player of the Year award. In the first nine days of the new season, a few have been unexpectedly pleasant surprises for basketball fans.

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Players who could challenge for NBA Most Improved Player of the Year award

Here are the top five:

#5 Devin Vassell

Victor Wembanyama is the biggest draw every time the San Antonio Spurs play. The highly-touted rookie is the favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award. Many are expecting to watch never-before-seen action coming from the French phenom.

Meanwhile, Vassell has steadily been the Spurs’ best scorer, hitting a career-high 20.0 points in four games. Last season, his scoring jumped from 12.3 PPG to 18.5 PPG, but he played just 32 games.

The shooting guard's impact isn’t just on offense. He's also one of San Antonio’s best defenders.

If he keeps that up, he could be one of the contenders for the NBA Most Improved Player award.

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#4 Grant Williams

Grant Williams and the Boston Celtics couldn’t agree a new deal. The forward reportedly wanted $20 million per season, which the Celtics didn’t want to part with. He was eventually sent to the Dallas Mavericks in a three-team deal.

With Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving around him, Williams’ scoring has spiked from 8.1 PPG to 15.5 PPG. He's hitting 54.3% of his shots, including a sizzling 55.2% clip from the deep.

The Mavericks wanted Grant Williams for his defense, toughness and big-game experience. He could end up challenging for the NBA Most Improved Player of the Year award with how he has been playing.

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#3 Shaedon Sharpe

The Damian Lillard standoff and the drafting of Scoot Henderson made Shaedon Sharpe the forgotten man in Portland.

In 80 games last season, he averaged 9.9 PPG, 3.0 RPG and 1.2 APG. In his first five games, he is putting up 20.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.0 APG and 1.0 SPG.

Sharpe leads the Blazers in scoring and is turning heads not just with his highlight reel dunks but also with his hustle on defense. He could be one of the legit contenders for the NBA Most Improved Player of the Year award.

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#2 Cam Thomas

Thomas came out like a house on fire in the Brooklyn Nets’ first three games. He had 36, 30 and 33 points in those games. Thomas fizzled against the Miami Heat in their last game, coming up with just 13 points.

Thomas has always been a bucket-getter. Consistency and work on the defensive end are the main reasons why he hasn’t had the breakout many thought he’d have. Still, going from 10.6 PPG to 28.0 PPG is a staggering improvement.

If he can sustain the same, he could be a major contender for the NBA Most Improved Player of the Year honor.

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#1 Tyrese Maxey

The Philadelphia 76ers may have decided not to give James Harden a max contract because they probably thought Maxey was already the better player. Maxey is averaging 30.3 PPG, exactly 10 points better than last season, without Harden.

The former Kentucky standout has been nearly unstoppable with his shotmaking. He's hitting 50.0% of his field goals, including a mind-blowing 56.0% from deep. Now that Harden has been traded, Maxey is guaranteed to be Joel Embiid’s pick-and-roll partner in Nick Nurse’s offense.

The NBA Most Improved Player of the Year Trophy may go to Maxey by the season’s end.