One of the more entertaining futures markets to follow throughout the NBA season is the Most Improved Player Award.
Sometimes there’s a clear winner, and other times it comes down to the wire with plenty of debate. Either way, before opening night we have a wide field of contenders to sort through. Unlike the MVP race, this award offers much more parity, as any player can take a leap and elevate their game from what we saw in previous seasons.
Let’s take a deeper look at the 2025-26 NBA Most Improved Player odds and bets.
For additional information on picks, props, moneylines, and more on today’s slate, take a look at our NBA Picks Page or our NBA Odds Page.
You can also browse our recommendations for the best online sportsbooks available in the U.S.
NBA 2025-26 Most Improved Player Odds
- Amen Thompson, HOU (+800)
- Bennedict Mathurin, IND (+1200)
- Deni Avdija, POR (+1500)
- Josh Giddey, CHI (+1500)
- Matas Buzelis, CHI (+1500)
- Andrew Nembhard, IND (+1600)
- Payton Pritchard, BOS (+1800)
- Shaedon Sharpe, POR (+1800)
- Ausar Thompson, DET (+2200)
- Derrick White, BOS (+3000)
- Reed Sheppard, HOU (+3000)
- Cam Whitmore, WAS (+3500)
- Michael Porter Jr., BKN (+3500)
- Jonathan Kuminga, GSW (+4000)
- Jalen Johnson, ATL (+4500)
- Scoot Henderson, POR (+4500)
- Trey Murphy III, NOP (+4500)
- Alperen Sengun, HOU (+5000)
- Brandon Miller, CHA (+5000)
To fully digest these odds and identify the best plays, it’s important to understand how this award is often judged. Sometimes the voting doesn’t stay true to the spirit of the Most Improved Player title, instead rewarding players who were already established as stars. The best example came in 2021-22, when Ja Morant won the award over Darius Garland.
My biggest gripe, shared by plenty of fans and bettors, was that Morant wasn’t necessarily “improving” in the sense this award intends. He was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and was simply continuing along the trajectory everyone expected. By the middle of that season, he was becoming an MVP candidate. It’s crazy to have an MVP candidate in the mix for Most Improved Player. This award is intended to celebrate players making major, sometimes unexpected, leaps into stardom – not those merely living up to their projected ceiling. Garland’s rise, on the other hand, was a bit less predictable and fit the merit of the award much better.
I could go on about my frustration with that year’s outcome, but the point is this: the award doesn’t always honor the player it should, and that’s something we have to keep in mind when analyzing the current odds.
To also help give you an idea of how this award has shaken up, here’s some of the past winners:
- 2025: Dyson Daniels, ATL
- 2024: Tyrese Maxey, PHI
- 2023: Lauri Markkanen, UTA
- 2022: Ja Morant, MEM
- 2021: Julius Randle, NYK
- 2020: Brandon Ingram, NOP
- 2019: Pascal Siakam, TOR
- 2018: Victor Oladipo, IND
- 2017: Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL
- 2016: CJ McCollum, POR
- 2015: Jimmy Butler, CHI
One interesting tidbit to keep in mind: nine of the past 10 winners have averaged 20 points per game or more in this season they’ve won. So history tells us that we should be honing in on players we believe can average above that this year.
Can Matas Buzelis take a big leap forward in the 2025-26 NBA season?
2025-26 NBA Most Improved Player Bets
Matas Buzelis, CHI (+1500)
I promise I’m not just circling out Buzelis because I’m a Bulls fan – this kid is the real deal. That was clear if you watched any of his games during his rookie season.
You might look at his numbers and raise an eyebrow: 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block per game. But he only averaged 19 minutes per contest, and his role should grow considerably as he enters his sophomore season. In the limited action he got, he made the most of it. He shot 45.4% from the field, moved the ball efficiently, and showed no hesitation attacking veteran defenders and getting to the rim.
It would take a huge leap for him to hit the 20-points-per-game mark that past Most Improved winners have often reached, but this Bulls offense badly needs a consistent scoring threat. Buzelis showed last year, and again in preseason, that he’s ready to take on that challenge.
I’d rather take Buzelis over Josh Giddey, who’s also listed at +1500, because Giddey already established himself last season. He put up 14.6 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game – impressive numbers that are difficult to improve on significantly.
Chicago is desperate for a young player to rally behind, and Buzelis has every chance to become that guy.
Shaedon Sharpe, POR (+1800)
Another choice for this award is Shaedon Sharpe at 18/1 odds. The former Kentucky Wildcat has shown steady progress through his first three seasons in the league. As a rookie, he averaged 10 points per game, then bumped that up to 16 in his second season and 18.5 last year.
Much like Buzelis, Sharpe plays on a young team still trying to define its identity. Expectations for Portland are low, which means there’s plenty of opportunity for someone to emerge and take control. I believe that player is Sharpe. His consistent year-over-year improvement mirrors the trajectory of several past winners, and grabbing him at +1800 feels like solid value.
Brandon Miller, CHA (+5000)
Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller is my dark-horse pick for this award. The 22-year-old enters his third season after appearing in just 27 games last year before being sidelined with a wrist injury.
Before that setback, Miller was trending in the right direction. As a rookie, he averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. Through a quarter of last season, those numbers climbed to 21 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game.
If he’s fully healthy, and all signs suggest he is, Miller should pick up right where he left off. He has the scoring upside to push Charlotte into playoff contention, and if that happens, his case for Most Improved Player will gain serious traction.
Still Didn’t Get Your NBA Fix?
Follow me on X @dannyburke5 for all my picks, analysis and plenty more. Also be sure to follow Betting News on ‘X’ and Twitch to catch us on stream! Betting News is also on TikTok! Follow us for more picks and news every day and check out our Free Expert Picks for every major sports league.
NBA Betting News NBA Betting News NBA Betting News NBA Betting NewsMore NBA News
NBA Prop Bets for Monday, December 15 | Betting News
NBA Prop Bets for Saturday, December 13 | Betting News
Tonight’s Best Player Props in the Association | NBA (12/10)
NBA Prop Bets for Thursday, December 11
Get FREE Picks and Props Weekly
Sign up for
THE WEEKENDER NEWSLETTER
Check Out All of Our Betting Resources at Betting News