With players like Philadelphia 76ers point guard Tyrese Maxey, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams, and wing Jalen Suggs of the Orlando Magic all having such good seasons, the folks voting for the NBA’s 2024 Most Improved Player award cut out for them.
But at least for the folks behind the panel at Bleacher Report’s end of season awards projections, when it comes to their pick, it is Chicago Bulls floor general Coby White. “The 24-year-old started 78 games, almost doubling his output of 19.1 points and 5.1 assists, with a jump from 23.4 to 36.5 minutes per game,” writes Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus.
“Injuries have Chicago in the play-in, but they wouldn’t be there without White—at what is now a discount price for two more seasons.”
Coby White's career game helps keep Chicago Bulls' season alive in play-in win vs. Hawks https://t.co/pQPtX6rzSI pic.twitter.com/AtFzcF0hUA
— Bulls Wire (@Bulls_Wire) April 18, 2024
“Maxey may be the favorite to win the award off a tremendous season, but he was already quite good last year,” he adds. ” White’s jump from ‘just a guy’ to starting guard, averaging almost 20 points per game, was more impressive.”
That may be the most concise argument we have seen in favor of a White nod for this award, and while it is close enough that we would not begrudge a Maxey victory, we tend to agree with Pincus on this one.
