The Most Improved Player award generally goes to the player that has made the biggest improvement from one season to the next. Improvement is subjective, but it seems as though this year, the award has been given to a player that has made the jump from being a good point guard to a full-fledged All-NBA caliber player.
Shams Charania of The Athletic has revealed that Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant has won the 2021-22 Most Improved Player award. There’s no doubt that he took an astronomical leap from last season to this one, and he’s certainly a deserving player to win it.
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has won the 2021-22 NBA Most Improved Player of the Year award.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 25, 2022
The 2021-22 Kia NBA Most Improved Player is Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant! pic.twitter.com/XNLdPFQwFe
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 25, 2022
This season, Ja Morant has improved in multiple statistical categories, including PPG, RPG, SPG, and BPG. Morant’s regular-season averages are 27.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, and 0.4 BPG. His overall efficiency and outside shooting have also gotten better. While there were definitely a lot of other players who made improvements to their game, Ja Morant is a player who seemingly won out due to just how much he improved.
It remains to be seen how far Ja Morant is able to lead the Memphis Grizzlies in the playoffs. They are currently tied 2-2 with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Hopefully, we see them have a long playoff run, and perhaps Ja Morant will show why he’s deserving of the award.
