NBA Most Improved Player (MIP) Rankings 2024-25: Top 5 candidates after Week 22 ft. Dyson Daniels

There are less than two weeks left in the NBA regular season, and the race for the Most Improved Player remained tight after Week 22. Cade Cunningham missed all of last week due to a calf injury, but he has reached the minimum number of played games to become eligible.

Dyson Daniels, the Atlanta Hawks' very own Great Barrier Thief, is making a push to not just win the Defensive Player of the Year award, but also the Most Improved Player of the Year award. Tyler Herro has also bounced back after the Miami Heat's baffling struggles, with Evan Mobley and Christian Braun completing the Top 5.

Let's look at this week's Most Improved Player power rankings brought to you by Sportskeeda.

---

NBA Most Improved Player Rankings - Week 22

---

#1 - Cade Cunningham | Guard | Detroit Pistons

Cade Cunningham | Guard | Detroit Pistons. (Photo: IMAGN)

• Last Week's Ranking: No. 1
• Average (Week 22) - 0.0 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG
• Average (This Season) - 25.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 9.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG
• Average (Last Season) - 22.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 7.5 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG

The Detroit Pistons are erring on the side of caution when it comes to Cade Cunningham's injury. The Pistons star is dealing with a calf injury and has missed at least five games since the end of Week 20.

According to the latest odds courtesy of Covers.com, Cunningham is still the favorite to win the Most Improved Player award. He'll be eligible to take home the award even if he doesn't play for the rest of the regular season.

---

#2 - Dyson Daniels | Guard | Atlanta Hawks

Dyson Daniels | Guard | Atlanta Hawks (Photo: IMAGN)

• Last Week's Ranking: No. 3
• Average (Week 22) - 17.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.8 APG, 2.8 SPG, 0.8 BPG
• Average (This Season) - 14.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 4.3 APG, 3.1 SPG, 0.7 BPG
• Average (Last Season) - 5.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.4 BPG

The Atlanta Hawks knew what they had when they acquired Dyson Daniels from the New Orleans Pelicans. However, the Hawks didn't know Daniels was this good, especially on defense, leading the league in steals per game by a wide margin.

Daniels is making things interesting with less than two weeks left in the regular season. Some betting sites on OddsChecker have the Great Barrier Thief as the favorite to win Most Improved Player of the Year over Cade Cunningham.

---

#3 - Tyler Herro | Guard | Miami Heat

Tyler Herro | Guard | Miami Heat. (Photo: IMAGN)

• Last Week's Ranking: No. 4
• Average (Week 22) - 29.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.0 BPG
• Average (This Season) - 23.7 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 5.6 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG
• Average (Last Season) - 20.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.5 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Tyler Herro endured a rough stretch in March, but has seemingly found his rhythm back. Herro has been stellar as the Miami Heat continue to push for a great ending to their regular season.

The Heat guard is tied with Christian Braun for the third-best odds to win the Most Improved Player of the Year. Herro is likely to get votes due to how he has shouldered the team's offense with Jimmy Butler checking out early before getting traded.

---

#4 - Evan Mobley | Forward | Cleveland Cavaliers

Evan Mobley | Forward | Cleveland Cavaliers. (Photo: IMAGN)

• Last Week's Ranking: No. 2
• Average (Week 22) - 14.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.0 APG, 0.3 SPG, 2.0 BPG
• Average (This Season) - 18.5 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 3.1 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.6 BPG
• Average (Last Season) - 15.7 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.4 BPG

In a perfect world, Evan Mobley will be one of the favorites to win the Most Improved Player of the Year. Mobley's current odds to win the award are +10000, according to Covers.com.

If that's how oddsmakers are viewing the Cleveland Cavaliers big man's chances of taking the award, he'll likely finish outside the Top 5 of the Most Improved Player of the Year voting.

---

#5 - Christian Braun | Guard | Denver Nuggets

Christian Braun | Guard | Denver Nuggets (Photo: IMAGN)

• Last Week's Ranking: No. 5
• Average (Week 22) - 17.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG
• Average (This Season) - 15.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG
• Average (Last Season) - 7.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.4 BPG

As mentioned above, Christian Braun and Tyler Herro have the same odds of winning the Most Improved Player of the Year, according to Covers.com. Braun has been fantastic for the Denver Nuggets throughout the season.

The Nuggets were flamed by critics for allowing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to leave in free agency. But with the way Braun has been playing this season, it was a good move for the 2023 NBA champions.