In a thrilling finish to the NBA’s Most Improved Player race, Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers emerged victorious, narrowly edging out Chicago Bulls’ guard Coby White and Houston Rockets’ center Alperen Sengun.
Maxey, 23, showcased a remarkable transformation throughout the season, elevating his game to new heights. A breakout campaign saw him shatter his previous career highs, boasting impressive averages in points (25.9), rebounds (3.7), assists (6.2), steals (1.0), and three-pointers made (212).
Despite the common narrative of players benefiting from new roles, Maxey’s improvement was not merely a byproduct of his adjusted responsibilities. Comparing his performance from two seasons ago, where he averaged 17.5 points, 4.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.7 steals in 35.3 minutes per game, Maxey not only surpassed these figures but did so with a mere 2.2-minute increase in playing time per contest.
“It feels great,” Maxey said on the TNT broadcast where the award was announced. “Somebody like myself, who prides myself on putting in a lot of work and outworking people and finding ways to get 1% better every single time I step in the gym, it feels good for that to come to light, honestly.”
Maxey secured 51 first-place votes, 18 second-place votes, and 10 third-place votes, amassing a total of 319 points across 79 ballots. While White garnered more total ballots with 91, he fell short with 305 points, clinching the second position.
In third place, Sengun amassed 92 points, followed by Thunder forward Jalen Williams in fourth and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson in fifth.
The selection process involved a panel of 99 reporters and broadcasters covering the league, with ballots submitted before the commencement of the play-in tournament. Notably, NBA awards exclusively consider performances during the regular season.
Drafted as the No. 20 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft from Kentucky, Maxey has evolved from a part-time contributor as a rookie to an indispensable core player for Philadelphia. His synergy with Joel Embiid, the league’s reigning Most Valuable Player, has been pivotal to the team’s success. Embiid, in particular, has been a staunch supporter of Maxey, consistently praising him as the team’s premier player.
