© Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Most Improved Player Award: Alperen Sengun Likely Won't Win, But Deserves the Recognition
Although his season was cut short, Alperen Sengun made a real case for NBA Most Improved Player.
On Sunday afternoon, the NBA released its finalists for each of the primary awards for the recent season. Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun was officially named part of the final three candidates for the NBA's Most Improved Player Award, alongside Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers) and Coby White (Chicago Bulls).
Despite playing only 63 games before a season-ending injury on March 10, Sengun is eligible for this award because he had played in more than 62 games and more than 85 percent of Houston’s games prior to his 2023-24 campaign being cut short.
While Sengun is a long shot to actually win the award — as Maxey has essentially solidified himself as a most improved this season en route to an NBA All-Star selection — the Turkish center was putting together a real case before his injury.
In his breakout season, Sengun led his team in scoring (21.1 points) and rebounds (9.3) while being the best player on the floor most nights. This was up from 14.8 points and 9.0 boards per contest last season.
Sengun’s case for MIP obviously was negatively impacted by his season-ending injury and not being able to help the Rockets get to the playoffs, while on the flip side Maxey and White both had the opportunity to step up and play a bigger role due to injuries to their teammates (Joel Embiid and Zach LaVine respectively).
In any case, Sengun’s breakout season is getting the recognition it deserves, as he looks to come out and earn an All-Star nod in the 2024-25 season. As the face of the franchise in Houston right now, he’s a blossoming star.
