Tyrese Maxey heavily favored to win 2024 Most Improved Player Award

Philadelphia 76ers all-star guard Tyrese Maxey is the heavy favorite to win the Most Improved Player award this season according to Bovada, which would make him the first 76ers player to do so since Dana Barros in 1994-1995.

Bovada’s odds are as follows: Tyrese Maxey (-1,500), Chicago’s Coby White (+800), Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams (+7,500), and Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga (+15,000).

Tyrese Maxey is averaging career-highs in points per game at 25.9 as well as in assists per game at 6.3. Maxey is fresh off of a career-high 52-point performance against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, which put him in an exclusive list of 76ers players who recorded at least three 50-point games in a season being Wilt Chamberlain, Allen Iverson, and Joel Embiid.

Most 50-point games in @NBA this season:@TyreseMaxey – 3@JoelEmbiid – 3@DevinBook – 3

h/t @Stathead https://t.co/xFkw4ILl3m

— Sixers Stats (@SixersStats) April 8, 2024

This season also marks the highest usage rate of Maxey’s career as he’s involved in an estimated 28.2% of offensive possessions while on the floor.

How has Tyrese Maxey Improved?

With the biggest offensive load of his four-year career, it’s no wonder why Maxey’s having his best season yet as an offensive guard. When James Harden refused to play for the 76ers and eventually got traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, Maxey’s game reached new heights when his role changed from a secondary creator who played off the ball to the focal point of the offense next to Joel Embiid.

Throughout the regular season, Maxey’s shown improvement as a three-level scorer, specifically with his perimeter shot-creation off the dribble, which can be alluded to by James Harden’s mentorship. Maxey has also evolved as a consistent slasher off the bounce and as a pick-and-roll partner with Joel Embiid.

It’s essential to factor in how many roles Maxey has had to fulfill throughout the season from being Embiid’s Robin to being the first option for eight weeks when Embiid went down with his meniscus injury. Maxey faced a variety of different defensive coverages as the number one guy, which has only helped him improve as an all-around offensive player.

Tyrese Maxey is ALL NBA 🌟🎯 https://t.co/YD0sKBqXYe pic.twitter.com/lnXCBRWMQM

— Brock Knows Ball (@LandesBrock) April 9, 2024

The Tyrese Maxey vs. Coby White debate

There are arguments that Maxey’s numbers are inflated due to Embiid’s absence and that players like Coby White are more deserving, however, Maxey averaged just 0.4 points per game, fewer assists per game, and worse efficiency in 33 games without Embiid this season.

While Coby White has a compelling MIP case with career-highs in points and assists, you could argue that White’s numbers were also inflated as Chicago Bulls all-star caliber guard Zach LaVine played only 25 games this season.

Both Maxey and White have great resumes for the MIP award, but Maxey’s leap from a rising star to a near top 20 player is more significant than White’s leap from a solid guard to potentially being all-star caliber. 

As always, regular season awards are announced throughout the NBA playoffs, using around the semi-final round, which is in late April to early May.

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