Victor Wembanyama is Breaking the NBA’s Awards
Victor Wembanyama is currently favored to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player award for the 2024-25 NBA season, which would be weird, because Victor Wembanyama is heading into his second season in the NBA.
But believe it or not, a second-year player winning Most Improved Player has happened more often than you probably think, although it’s still highly unusual.
Additionally, with how good Wemby already was during his rookie season, it makes things even more difficult in terms of the kind of improvement he’d need to have in order to stand out in the race.
So with how the MIP award has typically been treated throughout the course of NBA history, should Victor Wembanyama really be the favorite?
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45 Comments
The fact Coby white didn’t get it should be against the Geneva convention
Victor has the capabilities to win MIP, DPOY, and lead our Spurs to the playoffs.
#GOSPURS
I think the Most Improved Player is also skewed towards players whose usage gets a boost after getting traded or something else. Victor Oladipo winning the MIP for the 2017-18 season in Indiana comes to mind.
How did Alvin Roberson only get 2nd Team all defensive winning DPOY?😳
I remember Luka went from ROY to 1st Team All NBA, 4th in MVP. Didn't win MIP
Need to consider in the Olympics he averaged 16,10,3,2 in under 30mpg numbers just about as good as a motivated LeBron who won the Olympics MVP and it is definitely harder to put up big numbers in the Olympics. Would not be surprised to see him in the MVP race especially being the clear superstar of his team
Rookies typically play better to end their first season so wemby as a second year player might be very similar to the end of his rookie season but that would still be a big jump from year to year. The award discourse is typically that of what you would think a breakout player of the year award and I kinda wish that’s what it would be changed too.
What a stupid award.
Yes. More like this please
Sophmore players should be ineligible for the award, they are literally meant to improve greatly from year one to year two.
Most improved player isn’t for guys who were day 1 stars on star trajectory. Ja had an incredible leap in his third year—but it’s not really for him and it’s definitely not for something like LeBron in his second year. Imagine him winning that award, what those convos would’ve been. Your first three years you shouldn’t be eligible, because to me, MIP should only be for guys that either weren’t supposed to be much, or just didn’t show much and then broke past what they were believed to be. It’s for Coby Whites and Lauri Markannens not Ja Morants and Kevin Loves
Luka didn't win it in his second year so ye no
problem is the criteria is completely fucked up and inconsistent as hell… for example ja won it over dejounte going from 19 to 27 ppg but having his assists per game drop from 7,5 to 6 while murray was in dpoy contention and went from averaging 15-5 and 6 to 21-9and 7…. i'd be fine with that, if only luka would've won it the year prior by going from 21-7-6 to 29-9-8…. instead ingram won it over luka even tho his improvement was significntly worse than luka, going feom 18 to 23 ppg and had no stat improving more than luka…. i'm be fine with luka not winning It but how tf can the criteria change so much in one year…imo players that are in their first 3 years are EXPECTED to improve so should not be qualified for the awards
The thing is that Victor does not care about this award, he'll just play the game and do his best.
Sengun last year mip if he had 65 games
I doubt he really improves enough anyway. He’d probably have to be top 5 player next year to improve enough to justify winning it as a 2nd year player.
Wemby has the chance to go from a rookie to an actual Top 10 player in the league. Just because its Wemby doesnt mean he shouldn't win this award. Unless a player makes a bigger jump he should definitely win it.
As a Spurs fan, Wemby being in the MIP conversation is ridiculous. I mean, the only way he should be a candidate would be if he ends the season with a 27/14/5/3/4 stats line or something as outrageous as that.
Well, let's hope he actually becomes a MIP candidate.
Victor doesn't give a damn about this trophy! He's only going to think about the NBA title! We all agree that it's crazy and impossible with only 2 years with this Spurs team but in his head that's where he wants to go
i think the fact he went from 0/0/0/0/0 to 21/10/4/1/4 and didn't win last year is crazy. nobody else came close to that
Like the debate w/ Chet ROTY all year long … he’ll get them all like thanos give him that trophy + 1st DPOY as he was second last year lol it would be kind of an improvement so yeah let him get it on his sophomore year then move on after to multiple MVP’s and DPOY for the next decade
Well if wemby avwrage 26+points 10+reb 5 +assist 1.5+ steal 2.5+ block amd get the spurs to the play off. Theres a big chance he win it
The Most Improved Player award should to be relative to the natural improvement trajectory. Rather than the difference in stats like ppg, it seems worth considering the percentage increase.
Victor should have won in his first year lol
Calling it now, Gradey Dick will win MIP this year
Only way he wins it if he has a 28ppg season. DPOY and leads SA to the playoffs. That's the only way
can we please stop considering second year players for the most improved player conversation i’m sorry but it just kills the whole value of it, it’s supposed to be unexpected
he’s not winning mip, with his stat he’s going to have to win mvp fmvp first team all nba and mip is just bonus
That Wemby is the favorite for MIP is a reflection of how poorly he shot, the plethora of turnovers, and the fact his team didn’t improve from year to year.
Victor cant be MIP. He started big already. That's gonna be a huge jump for him to be considered MIP
Until the NBA defines these awards and comes up with requirements, nobody can claim who is the real winner or not
This might be the year wemby gets his first quadruple double
He is winning MIP, DPOY, MVP and scoring champion in what will be a historic season.
If people expect you to be better, you shouldn't win it
If you are top 25 and become top 15 you should be in the MIP discussion
I agree wholeheartedly, he just isn't a player in the spirit of the award. He will likely get a lot better but… That's just not what this award is about.
You forget he was doing this on minute restriction… So its totally believable
is it possible to be MIP and MVP in same season?
If Victor plays 3 to 5 min more per game, yeah MIP stats should be there…
The jump from good player to superstar is the most difficult one that can be made, many have fallen by the wayside.
He deserves one if he's on the top 3 mvp candidate
Because thats one hell of a jump
Thank you Alex. I have an issue here with underlining _expectations_: to me it is about improvement, not expectations. Oftentimes improvement is unexpected but sometimes it is expected. If Victor improves alots the fact that it was expected won't lessen the improvement. Actually it may arguably be considered an even greater achievement, as he would have improved under the pressure of expectations, which for most people is more difficult than without pressure. But thanks again.
He is already a star MIP is not for him
As a Spurs fan I completely agree that the award should go to players who weren't expected to play at a higher level than what they showcased. Now even with that said, I do think it's still possible for great players to receive the MIP award but for them they're statistical production should have a crazy jump because they're expected to be great by default so they're "improvement" should have to be off the charts for them to be considered MIP
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