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The NBA awards the Most Improved Player of the Year award to the hooper that has shown the most progress during the regular season. Some of the best players in the league have received this honor in their early days. Jalen Rose, Kevin Love, Tracy McGrady and Gilbert Arenas are some of the notable mentions on the list.
Over the past few years, there have been some big names that have been awarded the Most Improved Player honors. In today's article, we talk about five active players who have won the Most Improved Player award.
Five NBA Players to win the Most Improved Player of the Year award
#5 Julius Randle
Julius Randle won the Most Improved Player of the Year award in the 2020-21 season. His brilliant performance with the Knicks helped him become an All-Star for the first time in his career. Throughout the season, Randle showed great improvement. He worked on his three-point shooting, which helped him shoot the ball at 41.1% from beyond the arc in the 2020-21 season, as compared to the 27.7% he shot during the 2019-20 season.
Randle averaged 24.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG and 6.0 APG for the season, which was also his career-best. He was an integral part of the Knicks team that finished fourth in the Eastern Conference and ended a 10-year wait to get to the playoffs.
After impressing in the regular season, Randle had a disappointing first-round series against the Hawks. However, the 26 -year-old will be hoping to bounce back strong after that disappointment and help the Knicks to another great playoff run this year.
#4 Brandon Ingram
Brandon Ingram was announced as the Most Improved Player of the Year for the 2019-20 season. He averaged 23.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG and 4.2 APG that year and was a pivotal part of the New Orleans Pelicans team that had young stars like Lonzo Ball and Zion Williamson.
During the 2019-20 season, Ingram was also announced as an All-Star for the first time in his career. He carried his form into next season and continued to play brilliantly well for the Pelicans. Ingram averaged 23.8 PPG and was also a massive help to Zion Williamson, who excelled as an All-Star during the 2020-21 season.
This season will be a big test for Ingram. The Pelicans will be entering the season without their point guard, Lonzo Ball. The responsibility of carrying the team forward now falls on the shoulders of Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. The two of them will have to do something special this season if they want to lead the Pelicans into the playoffs.
#3 Paul George
Paul George won the Most Improved Player of the Year award back in the 2012-13 season. He averaged 17.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG and 4.1 APG during that year and played a big role in leading the Indiana Pacers into the playoffs. PG has come a long way since then.
After an impressive run to the NBA Finals and a seven-year stay with the Pacers, he took his talents to the Oklahoma City Thunder. George had a sensational 2018-19 season, where he finished third in MVP voting. The Shooting Guard averaged 28.0 PPG, 8.2 RPG and 4.2 APG during that season and impressed many fans.
George then signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he played well in the regular season. However, he had a forgetful playoff run with them that year. PG13 missed some open shots and failed to deliver when it mattered the most. This brought in a lot of criticism, but George was not going to let all of that affect him.
He had an impressive regular season during the 2020-21 campaign and was announced as an All-Star for the 7th time in his career. But it was his playoff run that made headlines. The 29 -year-old led the Clippers to their first-ever conference finals without Kawhi Leonard. Throughout the playoffs, George averaged 26.9 PPG, 9.6 RPG and 5.4 APG.
Paul George will be the focal point for the Clippers this year, as Kawhi will be out for a large chunk of the season due to injury. He will be hoping to deliver his best performance and help the team compete for that elusive championship.
#2 Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler was awarded the Most Improved Player of the Year for the 2014-15 season. He averaged 20.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.3 APG that year and was a vital cog in the team's run to the playoffs. He played six years for the Chicago Bulls and impressed everyone there before moving to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017.
He helped that team into the playoffs, but his stint there ended in controversy. After playing for one season, Butler moved to the Philadelphia 76ersfor the 2018-19 season. In Philly, he was a great help to Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Butler averaged 18.2 PPG that year and helped the team get to the conference semis.
However, after a year in Philly, Butler decided to take his talents to Miami. He signed with the Heat and instantly became a leader there. Butler showed up big for the franchise as he carried the team to the NBA finals in his very first year. After falling short against the Lakers, Butler tried to get things right during the 2020-21 season but failed to overcome the challenge laid by the Bucks in the first round.
However, the Heat are looking to bounce back strong this year. The addition of veterans like Kyle Lowry and PJ Tucker has strengthened the roster.
#1 Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo was announced as the Most Improved Player of the Year for the 2016-17 season. The Greek Freak averaged 22.9 PPG, 8.8RPG and 5.4 APG during that year and grabbed headlines. His career ascended to greater heights from thereon.
Giannis became the face of the franchise and helped the Bucks become a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference. He became the League MVP in 2019, which made him the only player to receive both the Most Improved Player and the MVP honors.
Giannis went on to become MVP and DPOY for the 2019-20 season. He had all the laurels in basketball, but the NBA championship was missing. However, the Greek Freak went on to claim the missing piece next season as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Phoenix Suns 4-2 in the NBA finals.
Giannis averaged 35.2 PPG, 13.2 RPG and 5.0 APG during the finals. He also scored 50 points in Game 6 to make sure the Bucks ended their 50-year long wait for an NBA Championship.
