Confetti still litters the court in celebration of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s NBA championship win, but already, both bettors and fans are turning their attention to the NBA betting scene for the upcoming season. One betting category gaining popularity is the Most Improved Player award.
Last season, Dyson Daniels of Atlanta earned this distinction, having boosted his average score by 8.3 points from 2023 to 2024, finishing with averages of 14.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
Looking ahead to the 2025-26 season, here are some of the top contenders and their DraftKings Sportsbook odds as of July 10th:
– Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers): +1000
– Amen Thompson (Rockets): +1000
– Scoot Henderson (Trail Blazers): +1400
– Andrew Nembhard (Pacers): +1400
– Shaedon Sharpe (Trail Blazers): +1800
– Benedict Mathurin (Pacers): +1800
– Ausar Thompson (Pistons): +1800
– Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors): +2000
– Trey Murphy III (Pelicans): +2200
– Jalen Johnson (Hawks): +2500
– Max Christie (Mavericks): +2800
Leading the board is Portland’s Deni Avdija, who despite starting fewer games in 2024 than the previous year, increased his scoring average to 16.9 points per game. Houston’s Amen Thompson also holds strong odds at +1000; in his third NBA year, he averaged 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists last season, showing room for further growth.
A long shot in the race is Terance Mann at +14,000. Once a key player for the Clippers, Mann only started one game last season but improved his scoring after transferring to Atlanta, averaging 9.8 points compared to 6.0 previously.
Fan Take: This early look at the Most Improved Player contenders highlights a new generation of talent ready to make waves in the NBA. Tracking these players will offer basketball fans exciting storylines and a glimpse into who might shape the future of the league.
