NBA Most Improved Player (MIP) Rankings 2024-25: Top 5 candidates after Week 7 ft. Jalen Johnson

The race for the NBA Most Improved Player of the Year (MIP) award got more interesting and complicated after Franz Wagner was ruled out for at least a month. Wagner was the favorite to win the award last week, but suffered a torn oblique in the Orlando Magic's game against the Philadelphia 76ers last Friday.

For players to be eligible for individual awards, they need to play at least 65 games. Wagner might be unable to reach the quota, so he'll likely be removed from the list soon. The same thing can be said for LaMelo Ball, who is also out with an injury. He's expected to miss more games and get re-evaluated in the third week of December.

That leaves the door open for players such as Jalen Williams, Jalen Johnson, Evan Mobley, Christian Braun, Normal Powell, Gradey Dick, RJ Barrett and Payton Pritchard to sneak in. Let's look at this week's rankings for Most Improved Player of the Year courtesy of Sportskeeda.

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NBA Most Improved Player Rankings - Week 7

NBA Most Improved Player Rankings - Week 7 (Photo: IMAGN)

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#5 - LaMelo Ball | Guard | Charlotte Hornets

LaMelo Ball | Guard | Charlotte Hornets (Photo: IMAGN)

• Last Week's Ranking: No. 4
• Average (Week 7) - 0.0 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG
• Average (This Season) - 31.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 6.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.2 BPG
• Average (Last Season) - 23.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 8.0 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG

LaMelo Ball didn't play last week, but managed to stay in the top five of the Most Improved Player rankings. Ball likely falls off for next week's rankings, but his strong performances before getting injured were enough to keep him in for Week 7.

The Charlotte Hornets star is currently second in scoring and is one of the most unstoppable players on offense this season. His only problem over the past two seasons is injury, missing a significant amount of time due to ankle issues.

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#4 - Jalen Johnson | Forward | Atlanta Hawks

Jalen Johnson | Forward | Atlanta Hawks (Photo: IMAGN)

• Last Week's Ranking: No. 5
• Average (Week 7) - 18.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.7 BPG
• Average (This Season) - 19.8 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.1 BPG
• Average (Last Season) - 16.0 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.8 BPG

Jalen Johnson could earn his first All-Star selection this season due to his performances for the Atlanta Hawks. Johnson has looked fantastic as Trae Young's running mate and finisher at the rim.

The odds are favoring Johnson to win the Most Improved Player of the Year award, though, he has to stay healthy. He's been durable this campaign, so he has a chance to stay in the top five for weeks to come.

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#3 - Jalen Williams | Forward | OKC Thunder

Jalen Williams | Forward | OKC Thunder (Photo: IMAGN)

• Last Week's Ranking: No. 3
• Average (Week 7) - 25.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.0 BPG
• Average (This Season) - 22.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.0 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.8 BPG
• Average (Last Season) - 19.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.6 BPG

The latest odds are favoring Jalen Williams to win the Most Improved Player of the Year award. If Williams can maintain his production and stay healthy, he certainly can take home the award.

Williams' numbers are not eye-popping, but they are enough to help the OKC Thunder have the best record in the Western Conference. His impact is not only felt on offense, but also on defense as he can guard positions one through five.

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#2 - Evan Mobley | Forward | Cleveland Cavaliers

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

• Last Week's Ranking: No. 2
• Average (Week 7) - 21.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.3 BPG
• Average (This Season) - 18.3 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.5 BPG
• Average (Last Season) - 15.7 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.4 BPG

Evan Mobley exploded for a career-high 41 points last week, showing off his offensive improvement. However, Mobley's defense is his bread and butter as evidenced by the Cleveland Cavaliers' loss to the Miami Heat on Sunday.

Mobley was out in the second half after spraining his left ankle, leaving the Cavs vulnerable on defense. The main reason why the big man is one of the favorites to win the Most Improved Player award is due to his impact on the defensive end.

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#1 - Franz Wagner | Forward | Orlando Magic

Franz Wagner | Forward | Orlando Magic (Photo: IMAGN)

• Last Week's Ranking: No. 1
• Average (Week 7) - 31.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.7 BPG
• Average (This Season) - 24.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.5 BPG
• Average (Last Season) - 19.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG

This might be Franz Wagner's final week atop the Most Improved Player rankings after getting ruled out for a month over the weekend. Wagner is playing like an MVP for the Orlando Magic, holding down the fort in Paolo Banchero's absence.

Wagner will likely move down to the fifth spot for Week 8 and then get removed the following week. The good news for the Orlando Magic is he's expected to return sometime in January.