The Most Improved Player award has always served as something of a subjective bellwether on the state of the league at large. Often, the award has been bestowed upon recent lottery picks who have leveled up on the teams who drafted them, as was the case for Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, then-Indiana Pacers forward Paul George, and then-Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love.
Surprise NBA Forward New Favorite to Win 2026 Most Improved Player Award originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Most Improved Player award has always served as something of a subjective bellwether on the state of the league at large.
Often, the award has been bestowed upon recent lottery picks who have leveled up on the teams who drafted them, as was the case for Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, then-Indiana Pacers forward Paul George, and then-Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love.
Sometimes, the honor is given to lottery selections who were reclamation projects on new teams, which happened with Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, then-New York Knicks power forward Julius Randle, then-New Orleans Pelicans small forward Brandon Ingram, and last year's winner, Atlanta Hawks combo guard Dyson Daniels.
Occasionally — although, these days, more infrequently — non-lottery, diamond-in-the-rough draft picks get rewarded for leveling up.
All-Star Philadelphia 76ers point guard Tyrese Maxey and two-time MVP Milwaukee Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo are the only non-lottery players to have nabbed the Most Improved Player award from among the last 10 honorees.
Fittingly, all but one of the players with top-five odds to win in 2026 are former lottery selections.
Per SportsBetting.ag, Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija has rocketed up to the top of the league's Most Improved Player award odds heading into the 2025-26 NBA season, at 8/1.
During his first season in Portland, the 6-foot-9 forward (selected with the No. 9 pick in 2020), averaged 16.9 points on .476/.365/.780 shooting splits, 7.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists across 72 healthy bouts. Especially during the back half of the season, Avdija emerged as a near-perennial triple-double threat, elevating his player as a downhill scorer, distributor and rebounder.
With aging All-Star guards Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard now back in the fold (Holiday was initially traded to Portland in a 2023 deal for Lillard, before being shipped to the Boston Celtics) and new draft pick Yang Hansen joining an exciting young core that includes Avdija, forward Toumani Camara, guards Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson, and center Donovan Clingan, Portland appears primed to compete for at least a play-in spot in the talented Western Conference next season.
After two-time All-NBA Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton was ruled out for the entirety of 2025-26 thanks to an Achilles tendon tear during Game 7 of the NBA Finals, two of his Pacers teammates have landed in the top five of preseason MIP contenders.
Starting Pacers shooting guard Andrew Nembhard (9/1) and reserve swingman Bennedict Mathurin (12/1) have been pegged with the second- and third-best odds, respectively, of notching the honor this coming season. Nembhard is the only player among this year's top batch to not have been a lottery pick.
Restricted free agent power forward Jonathan Kuminga, who remains a man without a team as he awaits a likely sign-and-trade away from the Golden State Warriors this summer, has been given 14/1 odds.
Houston Rockets All-Defensive Team forward Amen Thompson, Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller, and Avdija's Portland Trail Blazers teammates Henderson and Sharpe all round out the top five with 20/1 odds.
Related: Damian Lillard Agrees to New Deal to Return to Portland Trail Blazers
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
