According to the latest betting odds from BetOnline.AG, two players have emerged as the leading contenders for the 2024/25 Most Improved Player award: Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Los Angeles Clippers wing Norman Powell
DraftKings analyst Griffin Wong has offered a nuanced perspective on the 2024/25 Most Improved Player race, which currently appears to be a tightly contested battle between Cade Cunningham and Norman Powell.
Los Angeles Clippers, Norman Powell Among The Favorites To Win Most Improved Player
While acknowledging Powell’s significant individual growth, Wong suggests that voters, comprised of 100 members of the media, may ultimately favor Cunningham. This inclination, Wong argues, stems from a recent trend of awarding the award to promising young players and the Detroit Pistons’ remarkable turnaround from the previous season.
Norman Powell is enjoying a career-defining season, producing career-best averages across multiple categories, including points (24.2), rebounds (3.6), assists (2.2), steals (1.3), and minutes (33.6) per game. His offensive efficiency for the Clippers has been particularly impressive, with a remarkable shooting slash line of .496/.428/.819, translating to a career-high true shooting percentage of .633. As the leading scorer for the sixth-seeded Clippers (31-23), Powell has been a driving force behind their success.
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However, Powell’s age presents a unique challenge. At 31, he would become the oldest player in NBA history to win the Most Improved Player award, surpassing former Magic guard Darrell Armstrong, who was 30 when he achieved this distinction in the 1998-99 season.
Cunningham, at 23 years old, is also experiencing a breakout season, posting career-highs in points (25.4), rebounds (6.3), and assists (9.3) per game while shooting .455/.351/.850 from the field (yielding a .551 true shooting percentage) in 50 games. This significant improvement has been a key factor in the Detroit Pistons’ dramatic resurgence. After finishing with a dismal 14-68 record last season, the Pistons have already surpassed that win total, currently holding a 29-26 record and occupying the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
While Cunningham boasts superior rebounding and assist numbers, and undeniably serves as the cornerstone of the Pistons’ success, Wong argues that Powell’s offensive efficiency has been more impressive. Furthermore, Wong suggests that Cunningham’s improvement, as the first overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, was perhaps more anticipated. Conversely, Powell’s significant strides with the Clippers have been more surprising and arguably more impactful on his team’s success.
Given that neither player excels defensively, Wong considers their defensive contributions to be relatively equal. Ultimately, Wong believes that the voters may lean towards Cunningham, recognizing his impact on a team that has exceeded all expectations.