2021-22 NBA Most Improved Player Betting Odds: Zion Williamson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Favored Entering Season

2021-22 NBA Most Improved Player Betting Odds: Zion Williamson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Favored Entering Season article feature image
Credit:

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images. Pictured: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

2021-22 NBA Most Improved Player Betting Odds

Odds via BetMGM

PlayerOdds
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander+700
Zion Williamson+700
Michael Porter Jr.+750
Kevin Porter Jr.+900
Zach LaVine+1200
Collin Sexton+1200
Christian Wood+1400
Jaren Jackson Jr.+1600
Jaylen Brown+1600
John Collins+1800
Chris Boucher+1800
De'Aaron Fox+1800
Jeremi Grant+2000
Darius Garland+2000
Tyrese Haliburton+2000
Derrick White+2500
Domantas Sabonis+2500
Ben Simmons+2500
Keldon Johnson+3000
Ja Morant+3000
Fred VanVleet+3000
RJ Barrett+3000
Lonzo Ball+3000
Mikal Bridges+3500
Anthony Edwards+4000
Bogdan Bogdanovic+4000
Kyle Kuzma+4000
Coby White+4000
LaMelo Ball+4000
Deandre Ayton+5000
Saddiq Bey+5000
Terry Rozier+5000
D'Angelo Russell+5000
Dillon Brooks+5000
Dejounte Murray+5000
Jordan Poole+5000
Tyler Herro+5000
Darius Bazley+6600
Malik Beasley+6600
Cameron Johnson+6600
Talen Horton-Tucker+6600
Nikola Vucevic+6600
Jarrett Allen+6600
Mitchell Robinson+6600
CJ McCollum+6600
Brandon Clarke+6600
Shake Milton+6600
Clint Capela+8000
Matisse Thybulle+8000
Lu Dort+8000
Wendell Carter+8000
Markelle Fultz+8000
Kristaps Porzingis+8000
Seth Curry+8000
Bam Adebayo+8000
Jusuf Nurkic+8000
Devonte Graham+8000
Rui Hachimura+8000
Marvin Bagley+8000
PJ Washington+10000
Gary Trent Jr.+10000
Terance Mann+10000
Cameron Payne+10000
Kendrick Nunn+10000
Jordan Clarkson+10000
Derrick Jones Jr.+12500
Andrew Wiggins+15000
Malcolm Brogdon+15000
OG Anunoby+15000
Miles Bridges+15000
Kyle Anderson+15000
Richaun Holmes+15000

Preseason Update

The NBA's Most Improved Player award (MIP) is always one of the hardest ones to predict, with a strong candidate usually emerging seemingly out of nowhere in the middle of the regular season.

The 2021 winner, for example, was New York Knicks' forward Julius Randle. Denver's duo of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. was getting a lot of preseason love for the award, and then Randle stormed in and had an All-NBA season on the way to leading the Knicks back to the postseason, easily winning MIP.

For the 2021-22 season, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Pelicans forward Zion Williamson open as +700 favorites to win.

The aforementioned Michael Porter Jr. is third at +750, with Kevin Porter Jr. (+900), Zach LaVine (+1200), Collin Sexton (+1200) and Christian Wood (+1400) rounding out the top-five odds.

Zion Williamson is the favorite for MIP likely because despite being a favorite of the public, he lost the 2020 Rookie of the Year due to his limited availability. Since voters are already fond of Williamson, it is conceivable that all he would need to do is improved upon his robust 2021 statistics to easily take home the MIP award.

Gilgeous-Alexander is a favorite because after putting up an impressive 23.7 points per game (PPG) with next to no scoring help, he will somehow have even less offensive support in the 2022 season. There is a strong possibility we see the young Canadian guard yet again put up a career-high scoring average.

Michael Porter Jr. will have a much higher offensive workload in Denver due to the long-term injury suffered by franchise point guard Jamal Murray.

Kevin Porter Jr. could have the best all-around season of his young career with an exciting Houston team embracing the youth movement, with Christian Wood acting as his best pick-and-roll partner.

LaVine and Sexton are both with Eastern Conference Central division teams that will be hard-pressed to show improvement after several woeful seasons.

LaVine is coming off of a season in which he was in the top-10 in the NBA in PPG and now has easily the most talented team of his career with Chicago's offseason additions.

Sexton — who will likely continue to be the target of trade rumors in Cleveland — is also coming off of a career-high scoring season and will be playing with two impact bigs in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

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