The Wrong Man Won Most Improved Player
Photo Credit: Sarah Stier/Getty Images
While congratulations are in order for Philadelphia 76ers point guard Tyrese Maxey on winning the Most Improved Player award, the wrong man won it.
While yes, he did improve his scoring averages from 20 points per game (ppg) to 25 ppg, his shooting percentages took a dive. His overall shooting percentages went down from 48% to 45% according to Basketball Reference. His percentage from beyond the arc also took a considerable five from 43% to 37%.
Maxey definitely deserved the award, years ago. In his second season in the league, he jumped from eight ppg to 17.5 ppg. His percentage from the three also took a huge leap from 30% to 41%. That year, he was sixth in voting for Most Improved Player, losing that year to New York Knicks power forward Julius Randle.
The award usually go to players who take a considerable leap. Maxey didn’t take that much of a leap other than becoming an all star. Yet, some of the previous winners who were first time all stars from the last six years, nobody expected them to take such leaps.
Utah Jazz PF Lauri Markkanen went from averaging 14 ppg with the Cleveland Cavaliers to 25 ppg in his first year with the Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant went from 19 ppg to 27 ppg. Randle went from 19 ppg to 24 ppg. All of those players mentioned took huge leaps from one year to the next. Whereas, everyone expected Maxey to take another leap and become an all star, while also regressing as a shooter.
Chicago Bulls PG Coby White was more deserving of the award due to him taking a similar huge leap in several categories. White went from averaging nine ppg and two assists per game (apg), to 19 ppg and five apg. Another reason, his shooting stats didn’t regress.
Another player who was more deserving than Maxey was Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun who took a leap in scoring from averaging 14 ppg last year, to this year averaging 21 ppg, nearly averaging a double-double with nine rebounds per game (rpg) and five apg.
Most NBA fans expected Maxey to take a leap after how he’s performed the last few years with the 76ers, especially after shooting guard James Harden was no longer on the roster. Whereas, no one expected White to take such a leap in scoring after regression. Barely anyone thought that Sengun would average over 20 ppg and nearly a double-double. The Rockets don’t get much media attention so he went under the radar for most casual fans.
Again congratulations for Maxey for winning an award he should’ve won years ago when he first took his major leap. In the end, while others were more deserving, Maxey gets recognized by the voters, and now hopefully gets something out of the year as the 76ers face elimination by the New York Knicks in the playoffs.
