The two players that have distinguished themselves as the top picks to win the 2024-2025 Most Improved Player award share a name and have nearly identical betting odds. Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams is +500 at BetMGM while Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson is +550. The numbers indicate that this race is far from over, though. Hawks guard Dyson Daniels is in the mix at +950 and the Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball is +1000. Injuries or the rapid ascension of a player not named here could very well shake things up down the road, but let’s focus on the pair of swingmen leading the field. One was firmly in the race last season while the other was not even in the picture. Let’s go over each player’s case.
The Case for Williams
Williams has long been viewed as a key cog in the machine of a clear championship-contending team in the making with the Thunder. The Santa Clara product finished fourth in MIP voting last season after averaging 19.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 54% from the field and 42.7% from deep. His counting stats don’t jump out at you, but his efficiency and versatility on offense and defense is elite. Plus he impacts winning for a playoff team. Williams has already been on the radar of voters. Some might think that hurts his chances of winning this time around, but one achievement can set him over the top.
Six of the previous eight award winners became first-time NBA All-Stars in the same season. Lauri Markkanen and Pascal Siakam are the outliers. Williams has a clear edge here, as the second-best player on a middling team like the Hawks will have a tough time matching Williams’ All-Star appearance as the second-best player on the top team in the Western Conference. Williams scores from every spot on the floor, rebounds, makes plays for others, defends at a high level, and wins games. An All-Star nod would show that he’s taken another major leap and help him stand out from the rest of the field.
The Case for Johnson
Johnson came out of nowhere in 2023-2024 after averaging 5.6 points and 4.0 rebounds the previous season. The Hawks forward blossomed into a featured contributor with averages of 16.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per contest in his third NBA campaign. Injuries derailed his season to a degree, as he was only available in 56 games and therefore wasn’t eligible to win any awards. He’s played in every game this season and is on pace to set career-high averages in points (19.4), rebounds (10.0), assists (5.4), and steals (1.4). He notched his second career triple-double earlier this season and his all-around game is on the rise.
Much of Johnson’s appeal comes from the fact that he was never firmly in the conversation to win last year from a national perspective. His numbers were strong but he wasn’t consistently mentioned on a national scale as a threat to take down Tyrese Maxey, Coby White, and others. Now he’s a nightly double-double threat as Trae Young’s co-star in training. Johnson has a chance to put up gaudier numbers on a team lacking depth due to wing injuries and that will help him gain ground on Williams.
Best Bet: Jalen Williams
Williams has too much going for him to be beaten out at this point in time. He’s playing alongside an MVP frontrunner in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and is on track to win the Western Conference and become an All-Star while moonlighting as a center in a 6’5” frame. The national spotlight will be on him and his team. The argument can be made for Johnson if the Hawks convincingly enter the playoff picture, but they’ll likely need Bogdan Bogdanovic and others to get healthy and take on important roles to do that.
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