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NBA Most Improved Player Odds 2024
Everyone knows superstars like Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant — barring any injuries — are going to dominate when the NBA season begins.
It’s harder to determine which players are going to make the leap to greatness. Lauri Markennen won the league’s Most Improved Player award a year ago, and there is an intriguing list of candidates poised to break out this year. This award is one of the hardest to predict, but let’s take a closer look at all the NBA Most Improved Player betting odds.
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NBA Most Improved Player 2024 Favorites
- Mikal Bridges +800
- Tyrese Maxey +1000
- Jordan Poole +1200
- Cade Cunningham +1300
- Austin Reaves +1400
- Anfernee Simons +1500
- Shaedon Sharpe +1600
- Scottie Barnes +1600
- Paolo Banchero +1800
- Evan Mobley +2000
- Alperen Sengun +2000
- Josh Giddey +2000
*Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook
Here is a look at the top three players with the shortest NBA Most Improved Player odds 2024:
Mikal Bridges (+800)
By nature, it’s hard to forecast the winner of Most Improved Player, but it’s no surprise to see Bridges leading the group of candidates. He was always a good player in Phoenix but got overshadowed by the likes of Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton.
Bridges was one of the main pieces sent to Brooklyn for Kevin Durant last season, and immediately flourished in his new digs. Bridges averaged 26.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 27 games for the Nets while playing his trademark tough defense.
Bridges finished fourth in the Most Improved Player balloting a season ago, and with a full year playing in Brooklyn, is the man to beat this year. Other contenders will no doubt emerge throughout the season, which is why the NBA Most Improved Player 2024 odds are still pretty long for someone who is the favorite.
Tyrese Maxey (+1000)
Maxey seems like a great candidate to win this award. 76ers guard James Harden is making a lot of noise about trying to leave the organization, with his preference to land with the Clippers. That deal is currently at a stalemate, but if Harden does go, it will open up even more opportunities for Maxey — the standout guard heading into his fourth season.
Even if Harden stays in Philly to team up with Joel Embiid as the team’s 1-2 punch, there is still room for Maxey to flourish. He has improved every season in the NBA and averaged 20.3 points per game last season while shooting 43.4 percent from three-point range.
Harden’s skills are eroding, and he could cede some shots and ball dominance to Maxey this year. Additionally, Embiid is injury-prone, another factor that could allow Maxey to make a star turn.
The arrow is pointing up on Maxey. If he continues on this trajectory and seizes a bigger role in 2023-24, his Most Improved Player NBA odds will no doubt shorten as the season develops, so make sure to compare odds and find the best online sportsbook for you.
Jordan Poole (+1200)
For the past couple years, Poole did a nice job of seizing his opportunities on a Golden State Warriors team chock full of stars.
After an offseason trade to the Washington Wizards, there will be no one to stop him from dominating the ball and putting up big numbers. Poole averaged 20.4 points per game on 15.6 field goal attempts per game last year, even with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson around for much of it.
His scoring average will almost certainly go up in Washington, but so, too, will the attention from defenses. Poole makes sense as a favorite to win Most Improved, but he will need to be an efficient scorer, and it’s going to be tough to capture the award if the Wizards finish in the dregs of the league, as many expect.
While these are the three favorites heading into the season, plenty of players could be in the mix for MIP by midseason, so keep an eye on the NBA Most Improved Award 2024 odds throughout the regular season.
NBA Most Improved Player History
As touched on previously, the MIP award is probably the hardest NBA end-of-season award to call, but looking at previous winners can help you make a more informed decision. With that in mind, let’s look at the previous 10 winners of the NBA Most Improved Player award.
- 2023 – Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
- 2022 – Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
- 2021 – Julius Randle, New York Knicks
- 2020 – Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans
- 2019 – Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors
- 2018 – Victor Oladipo, Indiana Pacers
- 2017 – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- 2016 – CJ McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers
- 2015 – Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls
- 2014 – Goran Dragić, Phoenix Suns
NBA Most Improved Player Odds FAQ
Who won the NBA Most Improved Player award last year?
Finland native Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz won Most Improved Player in 2023, averaging 25.6 points and 8.6 rebounds whilst shooting almost 40% from 3-point range. The season before he averaged just 14.8 points per game.
Who decides the NBA Most Improved Player?
Like the other end-of-season awards, the MIP is decided by a panel of North American sportswriters, who each cast a first, second and third place vote (worth 5 points, 3 points and 1 point, respectively). The player with the most points wins the award.
Can a player win Most Improved Player more than once?
Yes, technically a player can win the award multiple times, but this has never happened.
Which team has the most ‘Most Improved Player’ wins?
Two teams are tied for the most MIP awards: the Orlando Magic and the Indiana Pacers, with 5 each.
When is the NBA Most Improved Player announced?
The NBA Most Improved Player is announced at the end of the regular season and play-in tournament, and before the start of the NBA Playoffs.
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