Early Most Improved Player candidates in the NBA

Drafted 24th overall in 2018, Simons was unable to be a regular part of Portland’s rotation as a rookie last season appearing in 20 games for a total of 141 minutes. He’s averaging 21.6 minutes a contest through 12 games in his sophomore season and has a scoring average of 11.8 (14.4 in his last seven outings). Blazers Edge of SB Nation recently spoke of how he can be a contender for the award at season’s end.

Just one season removed from his runner-up finish for Rookie of the Year, Young has taken his game to new heights in his first 10 games. He has improved his scoring average by more than eight points (27.3 scoring average is seventh-best in the NBA) while also substantially improving both his field goal and three-point percentages.

While he was an All-Rookie Second Team member last season, Gilgeous-Alexander has been much more productive as a member of the Thunder early on (traded from the Clippers this past offseason). Thus far, he has nearly doubled his scoring average of 10.8 as a rookie (20.1 in 11 games), has more than doubled his rookie rebounding average of 2.8 (currently at 5.8), and has shot about 2.5 times more threes than last season while connecting on them at a higher rate.

The 2016-17 Rookie of the Year, Brogdon has seen his scoring average improve in each of his four seasons and is currently averaging 20.8 per contest. Where he has shown vast improvement though is through his playmaking skills. His 8.5 assists per game are fifth-most in the NBA and well-above his career-best average of 4.2 in his rookie year.

Through 11 games, Wiggins is finally displaying the talents expected of him when he was drafted first overall in 2014. He is posting career-high averages across the board including points (25.8), rebounds (5.1), and assists (3.6). He also has personal bests in shooting percentages (47.8 percent from the field, 36.1 percent on threes). Hoops Hype write an article discussing on how is he beginning to shed the bust label.

A second round pick in 2018, Graham is taking advantage of receiving much more playing time this season for Charlotte. He has three points/assists double-doubles despite coming off the bench, and he has scored at least 19 points in six of his 11 contests.

Trae Young isn’t the only high-profile sophomore player who has shown massive improvement from his rookie year. Doncic, last season’s Rookie of the Year, is nearly averaging a triple-double (28.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 9.3 assists) and is shooting more efficiently including making an absurd 62.2 percent of his two-point tries.

The second overall pick in 2016, Ingram isn’t just among the league leaders with his 25.9 scoring average, but he also has show great improvement in his accuracy. A 32.9 percent career three-point shooter entering the season, he is 23-49 (46.9 percent) from deep early on in 2019-20.

Many questioned whether Brown was worthy of the four-year/$115 million extension he received during the offseason. Brown is beginning to silence some of those doubters with a career-best start in his fourth season which includes averages of 20.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and a 52 field goal percentage.

Unable to average double-digits in scoring during his first two seasons, Kennard (drafted 12th overall in 2017) is averaging 18.9 through 12 outings. He has scored at least 22 points in five of his last six games and is getting to the line slightly more than four times a game after averaging just one free throw attempt in each of his first two seasons.

While Baynes was valuable manning the middle for the Celtics during the previous two seasons, he was never much of a scorer. In his first 11 games for the Suns, the eighth-year veteran is averaging 15 points (previous career-best is 6.6) and 2.9 assists (previous career-best is 1.1).

Last season’s Most Improved Player, Siakam has flourished as Toronto’s first option on offense following the departure of Kawhi Leonard. His scoring average is up over 11 points from last season to 27.2, and he is also averaging more than two rebounds with 9.2 a game compared to last season.

Now in his ninth season, Thompson is averaging career-bests through 11 outings in a multitude of categories including scoring (15.2), rebounding (10.6), assists (2.2), and blocks (1.4). He has three games of at least 20 points where he also finished with double-digit rebounding.