Tyrese Maxey wins 2023-24 NBA Most Improved Player award

The happiest guy in the NBA has even more reason to smile.

On Tuesday night, former Kentucky guard turned Philadelphia 76ers star, Tyrese Maxey, was named the league’s Most Improved Player for the 2023-24 season. The 23-year-old averaged 25.9 points, 6.2 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and one steal in 37.5 minutes per game for the Sixers while shooting 45 percent from the field, 37.3 percent from deep, and 86.8 percent from the line.

He becomes the second Kentucky player to win the award, joining Julius Randle, who won it in 2021 with the New York Knicks. Maxey received 319 total points, just edging out Chicago Bulls guard Coby White, who finished with 305 points. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is a top-three MVP candidate and fellow former Wildcat, earned three total points for MIP.

the best of the best. 🫡#KiaMIP | @Kia pic.twitter.com/W7kJ2z4xab

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 23, 2024

In each of his four NBA seasons, Maxey has shown significant improvement. After being selected with the 21st overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft by Philly, the 6-foot-2 All-SEC guard averaged eight points and two assists in just 15.3 minutes per game. Those numbers more than doubled in 2021-22 to 17.5 points and 4.3 assists in 35.3 minutes per contest. Maxey actually finished sixth in MIP voting that season.

He took another leap in 2022-23 as the secondary ballhandler behind James Harden. Maxey started 41 of 60 games played, posting per-game averages of 20.3 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in 33.6 minutes. During the 2023 offseason, he developed into the 76ers’ primary ball handler and was ultimately named an All-Star for the first time as a result.

More importantly, Maxey was able to fill in as Philly’s primary scorer this season with reigning MVP Joel Embiid playing just 39 regular season games due to injury. He dropped 50 or more points on three different occasions, including a career-high 52.

Maxey and the 7-seed 76ers currently trail the 2-seed Knicks 2-0 in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Maxey is averaging 34 points per game so far despite the pair of losses. Game 3 is set for Thursday at 7:30 p.m. EST (TNT) in Philadelphia.