NBA Most Improved Player (MIP) Rankings 2024-25: Top 5 candidates after Week 23 ft. Christian Braun

There's less than a week before the NBA regular season ends, but the race for the Most Improved Player of the Year is getting tighter. Cade Cunningham is barely hanging onto the top spot, with some oddsmakers favoring Dyson Daniels to steal the award.

LeBron James' comments about Austin Reaves deserving to win the Most Improved Player of the Year put him on the radar, while Ivica Zubac is in the spotlight after the LA Clippers' rise in the West. Evan Mobley's chances of taking home an award took more than one hit as well.

Nevertheless, Christian Braun and Tyler Herro did enough to remain in the top five. Let's look at Sportskeeda's Most Improved Player power rankings after Week 23.

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NBA Most Improved Player Rankings - Week 23

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#1 - Cade Cunningham | Guard | Detroit Pistons

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

• Last Week's Ranking: No. 1
• Average (Week 23) - 30.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG
• Average (This Season) - 25.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 9.1 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

Cade Cunningham finally returned after a two-week absence last Saturday, putting up 25 points, nine rebounds and four assists. He was a little bit rusty, but bounced back the following game with a 35-point performance.

Cunningham remains favored to win the Most Improved Player award in most sportsbooks. If he can finish the final two games of the season strongly, the MIP is his to lose.

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#2 - Dyson Daniels | Guard | Atlanta Hawks

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

• Last Week's Ranking: No. 2
• Average (Week 23) - 15.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.3 APG, 2.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG
• Average (This Season) - 14.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.3 APG, 3.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG
• Average (Last Season) - 5.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.4 BPG

According to Covers.com, Dyson Daniels is now the favorite to take home the Most Improved Player of the Year. Daniels has been very consistent for the Atlanta Hawks, showing glimpses of his offensive potential and his prowess on the defensive end.

Based on stats alone, Daniels should be an easy pick to win the award. However, the Hawks' subpar performance of the season meant that he might not be on the radar for some voters.

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#3 - Evan Mobley | Forward | Cleveland Cavaliers

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

• Last Week's Ranking: No. 4
• Average (Week 23) - 20.7 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 5.3 APG, 2.0 SPG, 2.0 BPG
• Average (This Season) - 18.6 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.6 BPG
• Average (Last Season) - 15.7 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.4 BPG

Evan Mobley climbed back to the third spot in this week's Most Improved Player power rankings. Mobley averaged a double-double and even picked up his defensive stats after Draymond Green was suddenly favored to win Defensive Player of the Year.

It's been a bad week for Mobley in terms of his chances of taking home individual awards this season. Green seems to have the edge in the DPOY, while his odds to take home the MIP is a ridiculous +10000 on Covers.com.

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#4 - Christian Braun | Guard | Denver Nuggets

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

• Last Week's Ranking: No. 5
• Average (Week 23) - 23.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.3 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG
• Average (This Season) - 15.5 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

Christian Braun's excellent week was hard to ignore, so he gets one up and reaches the No. 4 spot for the first time this season. Braun should be as favored as Dyson Daniels to win the Most Improved Player of the Year based on their averages.

Some sportsbooks have Braun third or fourth in the race for the MIP, just behind Cade Cunningham and Dyson Daniels. The Nuggets' firing of coach Michael Malone might have had a positive impact on Braun since he had 25 points on 9-for-12 shooting in his first game under interim coach David Adelman.

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#5 - Tyler Herro | Guard | Miami Heat

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

• Last Week's Ranking: No. 3
• Average (Week 23) - 28.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 3.3 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG
• Average (This Season) - 23.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 5.5 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 has been phenomenal this season for the Miami Heat, but he had to take a dip in this week's Most Improved Player power rankings. Herro's a legitimate candidate for the award, but the oddsmakers also put him in the same category as Evan Mobley at +10000.

The Heat guard has been locked in toward the end of the regular season and into the play-in tournament. He needs to be at his best if the franchise wants to make it to the postseason. They'll be facing the Chicago Bulls in the play-in.