Jimmy Butler, Anthony Davis, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson are the four names that most heavily dominate the conversation for the NBA’s 2014-2015 Most Improved Player award. With Butler currently out for an estimated three-six weeks, he is anticipated to be back just in time for the first round of the NBA playoffs at the latest. If Butler indeed ends up missing the remainder of the regular season, he will have missed 27 games, which would severely diminish his chances at grasping the award. Davis, is no stranger to being out of action, missing 13 of the Pelicans 64 games played. On the contrary, the Bay Area’s Green and Thompson have missed zilch and a single game respectively. With the former two individuals playing in limited action as opposed to the latter two, the likelihood of either hoisting the award downsizes when contrasted with their counterparts. Now, let’s explore why Green deserves the award, why Thompson deserves the award, and why is Milwaukee Bucks starting Small Forward, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name unfairly absent?
Entering his junior campaign, Green was inserted into first-year Head Coach Steve Kerr’s starting five replacing David Lee. The decision left many scratching their heads, bewildered, befuddled beyond belief, seeing Lee, who posted averages of 18.2 PPG and 9.3 RPG move to the bench. However, Kerr’s experiment has worked to perfection and Green’s growth is only doing more to add to Kerr’s case to be the NBA’s Coach of the Year. The 6’6″ undersized Power Forward, Green, has shined in his new role and his development hasn’t gone unnoticed, with Kerr frequently singing his praises for Green. In reference to Green, Kerr proclaimed, “I don’t know if he’s going to make the All-Star team, but he would have my vote if I could vote for him. He has just been brilliant. He represents who we are as a team…the versatility, the scrapping, the toughness…I feel like he sets the tone for us.”
Green’s minutes have shot up from 21.9 a contest to 32.2 a contest. Just as his minutes have increased, Green’s statistics are much more heavily padded now as well. As a sophomore, Green totaled averages of 6.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, and 0.9 BPG. Green has surpassed all those totals and his averages for the 2014-2015 campaign are 11.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.6 SPG, and 1.4 BPG. Green’s case for Most Improved Player are as warranted as he is of snagging David Lee’s starting role, as warranted as he is to be a candidate for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award, and as warranted as he is for a max contract this offseason when he becomes a free agent.
Green’s teammate Klay Thompson has been no slouch in his own right and his case for winning the award holds substantial weight as well. The lesser known of the “Splash Brothers” is most recognized and renown for his ludicrous and unbelievable thirty-seven point third quarter against the Sacramento Kings on January 23rd, in which he drained nine three-pointers, clanking zero which accounted for 27 of his 37. Just as Green has surpassed his averages from the 2013-2014 campaign, Thompson has done the same. Previously posting averages of 18.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.2 APG, and 0.9 SPG, Thompson now showcases numbers of 21.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 3.0 APG, and 1.2 SPG. Perhaps most impressive about Thompson has been his ability to increase his three-point percentage. Known as a sharpshooting marksman, Thompson has raised his average from .417 to .432. In addition, Thompson has drained 183 long balls, averaging 3.1 threes per game. With 22 games remaining, Thompson is on pace to best his record of 223 and replace it with 244. While many are recognized for improving their games based on deteriorating weaknesses and eliminating fragilities, Thompson has improved his game by further strengthening his abilities as a shooter and scorer.
With the two noticeable candidates, Green and Thompson receiving ample recognition for the Most Improved Player of the Award, there’s one player who has received little, if any attention and consideration whatsoever. That player is none other than Milwaukee Bucks swingman, Giannis Antetokounmpo. A mere twenty years of age, Antetokounmpo, arguably known more frequently as “The Alphabet” not only has statistics that compare to Green, he arguably has progressed and developed more than Green. In his inaugural campaign, “The Greek Freek” registered 6.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.8 SPG, and 0.8 BPG. Like Green, Antetokounmpo has surpassed all of the year prior’s averages. Anteokounmpo has almost doubled his scoring average at 12.0 PPG, increased his rebound by 2.3 a game now averaging 6.7 RPG, 2.2 APG, and a block and steal per game.
Antetokounmpo not only has numbers that resemble Green’s, but the two’s numbers are practically identical. The numbers between the two are so similar that the biggest advantage either has over the other is Green having a 1.8 average in assists. Yet the point differential is 0.4 with Antetokounmpo edging out Green, the RPG is literally identical, the steals and blocks advantages go to Green with a 0.6 and 0.4 advantage respectively. Just as Green as been instrumental in helping the Warriors grasp the number one seed out West, Antetokounmpo has been pivotal in keeping the Bucks a playoff contender in the woeful Eastern Conference.
Green and Thompson have received notoriety and acclaim, and rightfully so regarding their accolades and development in the 2014-2015 campaign. However, Antetokounmpo’s development shouldn’t go unnoticed. Moreover, Antetokounmpo has just as much a case to raise the Most Improved Player award as do Green and Thompson.