2025 NBA Most Improved Player Odds: Wembanyama Ready Leap to Greatness?

NBA Most Improved Player odds are about to begin shifting for the 2024-25 season, and sportsbooks are banking on the ascent of the league's heir apparent to continue.

After an otherworldly Rookie season, Victor Wembanyama tops the early NBA odds board to win MIP, with several players in the midst of leaps hot on his heels. 

Let's check out the preseason NBA MIP odds, as the league looks to crown its next breakout star. 

2025 NBA Most Improved Player odds

Player
Victor Wembanyama	+750	+650	+700
Evan Mobley	+1,100	+1,200	+1,100
Jonathan Kuminga	+1,400	+1,000	+1,000
Josh Giddey	+1,700	+1,200	+1,200
Scottie Barnes	+1,800	+2,900	+2,000
Jalen Johnson	+1,800	+1,400	+1,400
Jalen Williams	+2,000	+1,700	+2,200
Cade Cunningham	+2,000	+3,400	+2,200
Immanuel Quickley	+2,500	+2,400	+2,200
Brandin Podziemski	+2,500	+1,900	+2,000

Odds as of 10-1-2024.

NBA Most Improved Player early favorites

Victor-ious

Victor Wembanyama just put up arguably the most impressive rookie season in league history, with his true explosion coming over the campaign's back end, logging truly eye-popping numbers, especially on defense.

But, is his placement atop the Most Improved Player odds in the true spirit of the award? After all, Wemby's second-half breakout all but announced as destined for greatness.

The San Antonio Spurs center has one of the most boundless palettes of potential skill ever seen in a basketball prospect, and with another season of top-flite conditioning, he's already an entirely likely All-NBA candidate.

Wemby's also been taking top billing at the books, taking 15.2% of both tickets and handle at BetMGM. This makes him the most popular bet to win MIP this season. 

Leap, interrupted

We typically expect to see the early MIP odds board littered with youngsters stepping into bigger roles or in new surroundings. Instead, the rest of this year's early Most Improved Player favorites are upside-dripping studs who have been MIP contenders in years past, but either fell short or had injury disrupt their ascent. 

Scottie Barnes and Jalen Williams are familiar names for anyone who followed last year's MIP race, while Evan Mobley and Jalen Johnson had lengthy ailments derail their contention in 2024. All of these guys have plenty of potential but face a variety of obstacles, from perhaps having already leaped, limited room for ascent on a crowded roster, or even a bit of both. 

Jonathan Kuminga figures to be perhaps the purest candidate for an eruption outside of Wembanyama, having not only shown midseason flashes of stardom in Golden State (such that his season-long stats are negatively skewed after an early-season benching), but perhaps an added impetus to contribute. The Warriors finally will have to turn to the future after another missed postseason and Klay Thompson's departure, meaning Kuminga could be fully unleashed.

Understanding NBA Most Improved Player odds

Most sportsbooks will display odds in the American format as listed above. We'll use 2022-23's MIP race as an example: 

As the season progressed, with Lauri Markkanen having been a big favorite, his odds had a minus (-) sign ahead of the number: 

• Lauri Markkanen -200

This means that a bettor needs to wager $200 to win $100. Other candidates with worse odds would have a plus (+) sign ahead of the number. Early in the season, before any clear favorite is established, betting options will be listed as such: 

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander +650

Here, a bettor stands to profit $650 for every $100 wagered. 

If American odds aren't your thing, simply use our odds converter to switch the odds to decimal or fractional format. Most online sportsbooks also give you the option to change the odds format that you see.

NBA MIP betting trends

Here are some trends you'll want to consider when betting on NBA Most Improved Player futures: 

• Forwards have won 13 of the past 20 MIP awards.
  
  
• No true center has won since Jermaine O'Neal in 2002.
  
  
• MIP has tended to favor players making "the leap" to stardom recently. Nine of the past 10 winners have averaged 20.0 ppg or more.
  
  
• In a very weird coincidence, an Orlando Magic player has won MIP four times since 1999, and each time, an Indiana Pacer has won the award the following year.

How is NBA Most Improved Player decided? 

The NBA Most Improved Player Award is bestowed upon the player who has demonstrated a significant improvement in performance from the previous season. This improvement is evaluated based on the following key criteria:

Statistical improvement

Consideration is given to notable increases in key statistical categories, including traditional box score stats, shooting efficiency, and the various advanced metrics.

Role expansion or redefinition

Consideration will be given to players who have taken on new roles, and significantly expanded their responsibilities, thereby positively impacting their team.

Consistency and sustainability

The improvement should be consistent and sustained throughout the season, rather than a short-term surge in performance. Candidates should demonstrate their enhanced production over a substantial portion of the regular season.

Impact on team success

The player's improvement should directly contribute to the overall success and performance of their team. Factors such as wins, team rankings, and positive influence on team chemistry can be taken into account.

NBA Most Improved Player history

NBA Most Improved Player odds FAQ

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