NBA Most Improved Player Odds Update: Maxey, Sengun in Two-Man Race

With teams nearing the halfway point of the 2023-24 season, it's time to take another look at the NBA Most Improved Player (MIP) odds.

Philadelphia 76ers' guard Tyrese Maxey has been the favorite to take home the award since the offseason, and he's more than lived up to expectations. However, a competitor has emerged over the last two months, and there's plenty of time for more contenders to enter the fold.

Here are the five players with the shortest odds to win the 2023-24 NBA Most Improved Player Award, followed by a breakdown of the top names. For a full list of odds, and to see how other awards stack up, check out the NBA Awards Odds on FanDuel Sportsbook.

Odds as of January 16th, 2024

Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers (-210)

After James Harden was shipped out of Philly, all eyes shifted to Maxey to see how he'd respond to an uptick in usage.

The results have been nothing short of spectacular. Through 37 games, Maxey is averaging 26.1 points and 6.6 assists per game. His efficiency has dropped somewhat in an expanded role, but he's still shooting 45.1% from the floor, 38.4% from three, and 87.4% from the free throw line. He's among the league leaders in net rating (eighth) and assist to turnover ratio (ninth).

Compare that to last year when Maxey averaged 20.3 points and 3.5 assists on 48.1/43.4/84.5 shooting splits.

The 76ers haven't missed a beat with him stepping up. Philly currently sits in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 25-13 record. Their .658 winning percentage is nearly identical to last year's .659 mark.

As the odds-on favorite, Maxey has a clear path to the Most Improved Player award. He's averaged 26 points and 7.2 assists through six January contests, so he's shown no sign of slowing down, either.

Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets (+290)

Although Maxey is still the favorite, Alperen Sengun has gained a lot of ground over the last two months. He's the only other player with odds shorter than 15-to-1, so this looks like a two-man race going forward.

Sengun's taken a massive statistical leap this season with per-game averages of 21.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. His efficiency remains solid for a big man as he's shooting 53.9% from the floor despite an ugly 28.4% mark from three.

That's a noticeable increase on last season when the big man put up 14.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.

Sengun's improvement hasn't just upped his own stats, either. His Houston Rockets are 19-20 and sit in 11th place in the West. Their .487 win percentage is a significant upgrade over last year's .268 mark.

Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors (+1500)

Scottie Barnes has consistently hovered near the top of the Most Improved Player odds, so it's no surprise to see him tied for third at the halfway point.

Barnes is averaging 20.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. He's shooting 47.9% from the floor and 37.8% from deep while nailing 2.1 threes per game. Defensively, he's taken things up a notch as well, posting 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game.

Those are all career-best marks from the third year forward. Last season, Barnes averaged 15.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. He shot 45.6% overall last year but made fewer than one three per game at a 28.1% clip.

He looked like he'd have a shot to challenge for the award after averaging 23.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists in December, but his production has regressed since the OG Anunoby trade. In eight games with RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley in the lineup, Barnes has averaged just 16.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game.

Coby White, Chicago Bulls (+1500)

If you're looking for under-the-radar names that could challenge Maxey for MIP, consider Coby White.

White was quiet over the first 20 games, but an injury to Zach LaVine gave him an enhanced role. Since December 1st, White has averaged 22.5 points, 5.6 assists, and 3.1 threes per game while shooting 47.5% overall and 41.8% from three.

The Chicago Bulls have gone 13-9 over that span and now sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

That role hasn't disappeared with LaVine back in the lineup, either. Over the last eight games, White's put up 22.8 points and 5.5 assists while playing over 38 minutes per game. His stock would rise even further if LaVine was traded, but this recent sample suggests White's production is here to stay regardless.

If White can keep this up, it would mark a significant improvement from last season when he averaged just 9.7 points and 2.8 assists.

Do you think you know which NBA players will take home hardware this season? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA award odds market to bet any major season-long awards with America's Number One Sportsbook.

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