Deni Avdija has led our recent NBA Most Improved Player rankings, but he has been overtaken in the latest betting odds. With the end of the regular season approaching, three clear contenders have emerged according to the sportsbooks.
Plenty of other players can make a case for a vote as well. Michael Porter Jr. has taken on a new role in Brooklyn. Keyonte George’s leap helped push Utah to trade for Jaren Jackson Jr., and Ryan Rollins has developed into a serviceable starting guard.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has thrived in a new situation, and Orlando’s injury issues have created opportunity for Anthony Black.
As of Feb. 23, here is how our Most Improved Player ballot would look:
1. Keyonte George
George has raised his scoring by seven points per game, with a career high assist rate and an adjusted true shooting mark 13 points higher than his previous best.
He is unlikely to win the award. Utah’s tank will limit his minutes down the stretch while other candidates continue to add to their résumés.
This ranking is not a projection, though. It is a snapshot of today, and if the season ended now, George would be difficult to leave off a ballot.
2. Deni Avdija
A lingering lower back issue has limited Avdija’s availability in recent weeks. He has played eight games since Jan. 11, including a one minute appearance against Phoenix on Sunday.
In the first seven of those games, he averaged fewer than 28 minutes while posting a plus 76 cumulative plus minus and shooting just 25 percent from three. His offensive production has dipped.
Avdija has still taken a clear step forward from last season. He was a deserved All Star and could work his way into the All NBA conversation if he returns to full health. At the moment, though, his form is trending the wrong way, and it has been nearly six weeks since he has been a steady contributor for Portland’s play in push.
3. Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Alexander Walker is averaging 19.9 points per game, up from a previous high of 11, while also posting career highs in stocks and usage rate.
Jalen Johnson’s role in the offense works against his case for the award. He has grown as a playmaker, but he is not asked to carry the same offensive burden as other guards after Trae Young’s departure.
Even so, the leap is real. Alexander Walker has moved from a role player into a legitimate starting guard while maintaining his scoring efficiency.
4. Anthony Black
Orlando’s offense struggled with Anthony Black on the floor in his first two seasons, but that has changed in 2025-26. He is taking and making more threes, finishing more efficiently at the rim, and generating more steals.
Even with some broader team inconsistency, the Magic have been better on both ends with Black in the lineup. Units featuring Black with Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, or Franz Wagner have been comfortably positive, including a plus 5.3 net rating per 100 possessions with Black, Bane, and Wagner.
The improvement is not solely Black’s doing, but it matches what is visible on the court and in his individual numbers. If he can be a reliable perimeter shooter on five attempts per game, the Magic have another foundational piece to build around with Bane and Wagner.
5. Jalen Johnson
Is it controversial to have the betting favorite fifth in these rankings? Perhaps.
Johnson is having a phenomenal season and would be right on the edge of an All-NBA team if the season ended today. But this award is about improvement, and Johnson was already capable of this level of production.
He averaged 19/10/5 with 2.6 stocks in 36 games last season. The move to 23/11/8 with 1.8 stocks is an uptick, but not as significant as his MIP odds indicate.
The playmaking flashes were already there. His rebounding has only slightly improved, his stocks have declined, and while the scoring is up, it has not been a dramatic leap and his efficiency is still middling.
If this was your kind of read, you’ll like what’s next. Get The Sandman Ticket, our free, weekly newsletter with picks, insights, and a little bit of everything we love about sports.
