Jazz C Walker Kessler’s Most Improved Player Odds Revealed for 2023-24

Predicting NBA awards before the start of a season is already a tough task as it is. However, the most difficult of the bunch to forecast might be the Most Improved Player award. Without anyone having any clear insight on who will enter next season to undergo the next biggest leap, it makes accurately predicting a winner near impossible.

From the perspective of a sportsbook, the arbitrarity in these bets makes this a pretty sweet award. It could also be a key reason why DraftKings has already rushed to post their odds for next season's Most Improved Player award.

Some talented names stick out, the leader of the pack being Brooklyn Nets F Mikal Bridges at +700, followed distantly by Philadelphia 76ers G Tyrese Maxey at +1200 and Detroit Pistons G Cade Cunningham at +1300. With a ton of opportunity to emerge as a number one scoring option for their respective teams, the top of this list has some interesting players to buy into.

The Utah Jazz find some representation later down the board with second-year center Walker Kessler listed at +2500 odds to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.

Love a great 🌪️ move

🇺🇸 #USABMNT pic.twitter.com/8kslgIJsv4
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) August 12, 2023

It’s rare to see a year-two player end up actually winning the honors recently, considering the phenomenon has only happened two times since 2000 (Gilbert Arenas in 2003, Monta Ellis in 2007). With an inspiring rookie campaign in such limited opportunity, Kessler still presents some hope to gain some traction as a legitimate candidate.

Walker Kessler averaged 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in his first season as the Jazz’s new defensive anchor. In just 23 minutes played a night and starting the year off the bench, there is some clear room for a drastic improvement in Kessler’s counting stats. If his elite defensive presence on the interior continues to stand out, maybe The Sheriff could be the one to make history for Utah.

Talen Horton-Tucker also makes an appearance on this list, coming in at a puncher’s chance of +7500. It might be hard for THT to find an established and significant role in a guard rotation packed with many players competing for minutes. Thankfully for Horton-Tucker, anything is possible when it comes to this award.

There has never been a team in NBA history to have two consecutive winners of Most Improved Player. However, if there anyone was going to a team to break that record this season, it would be the Jazz.

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