Front-runner for Most Improved Player?

[OptimusOne6]

Who do you guys think is currently the front-runner for the MIP award? I think some candidates to throw out are...

Serge Ibaka, Omer Asik, James Harden, Brandon Jennings, DeAndre Jordan, Nicolas Batum, OJ Mayo, Jrue Holiday, and DeMar DeRozan.

[Ginger Bean]

Asik

[LGND2552]

Mayos gotta be runnin away with this

[No-Man]

Harden, by far.

[gethigh]

Adding J.J. Redick to the list. Probably wouldn't win it but should be in the discussion.

[HornetJail]

Asik.

Kemba deserves recognition.

[aether1234]

Omer Asik

[Heats_Finest]

Mayo. His shot has improved beyond belief in the offseason. Asik is 2nd but is he really doing anything that people didn't know he could do already? He can rebound and defend, he was doing that in Chicago just with less minutes.
Mayo's game is beyond just getting more minutes and a role, it's actually improved drastically.

Harden I don't believe is there, his numbers are falling back to the level he was at a season ago, even looks like his percentages are going to end up much worse than they were before.

[Elden Payton]

MAYO!!!!

Don't tell liloj.

[Beeboywhoo]

Homer pick :

[Elden Payton]

True, we shouldn't forget Batum.

He's been great and living upto that contract.

[ADoaN17]

I'd pick Mayo.

[ROballer]

Some candidates

Omer Asik

Last season: 3.1 ppg 5.3 rpg 1.0 blk 50% FG 45% FT in 14.7 mpg
This season:11.1 ppg 13.2 rpg 1.2 blk 46% FG 73% FT in 33.3 mpg

James Harden

Last season:16.8 ppg 4.1 rpg 3.7 apg 1.0 spg 49%FG 39% 3P 84% FT in 31.4 mpg
This season:26.7 ppg 4.8.rpg 4.7 apg 1.6 spg 44%FG 26%3P 83%FT in 40.1 mpg

Nicolas Batum

Last season:13.9 ppg 4.6 rpg 1.4 apg 1.0 spg 1.0 bpg 45%FG 39%3P 83%FT in 30.4 mpg
This season:20.8 ppg 6.3 rpg 3.2 apg 2.3 spg 1.3 bpg 48%FG 39%3P 76%FT in 39.7 mpg

Jrue Holiday

Last season:13.5 ppg 3.3rpg 4.5apg 43%FG 38%3P 78%FT in 33.8 mpg
This season:19.1 ppg 4.0rpg 8.6apg 45%FG 45%3P 78%FT in 38.2 mpg

JJ Redick

Last season:11.6 ppg 2.3rpg 2.5 apg 0.4 spg 42%FG 42%3P 91%FT in 27.2 mpg
This season:15.8 ppg 2.3rpg 5.5 apg 0.8 spg 49%FG 39%3P 86%FT in 32.5 mpg

Glen Davis

Last season:9.3 ppg 5.4 rpg 0.8 apg 42%FG 68% FT in 23.4 mpg
This season:15.6 ppg 8.3 rpg 2.5 apg 43%FG 58%FT in 32.3 mpg

Al Farouq Aminu

Last season:6.0 ppg 4.7 rpg 1.0 apg 0.9 spg 0.5 bpg 41%FG 28% 3P 75%FT in 22.4 mpg
This season:12.0 ppg 8.1rpg 2.5apg 1.8 spg 1.1 bpg 50%FG 18% 3P 68%FT in 31.5 mpg

Kemba Walker

Last season:12.1 ppg 3.5 rpg 4.4 apg 0.9 spg 36%FG 30%3P 79%FT in 27.2 mpg
This season:18.8 ppg 3.9 rpg 5.5 apg 2.5 spg 42%FG 17%3P 86%FT in 36.6 mpg


Vucevic and E'Twaun Moore saw big improvements statistic wise from their rookie seasons but I don't know if they'll keep the current pace(especially Moore) so I didn't add them

Jordan and Ibaka score more(3 ppg Jordan ,5 ppg Ibaka),but are actually rebounding less and blocking shots at a similar rate as last year.

Mayo has a big improvement statistic wise from last year,but he had a big rookie season and I don't consider him necessarily most improved..he had it in him

Meanwhile,all the players I listed above are having by far,their best season, production wise

[asero]

Are sophomores eligible for this award?

[No-Man]

Are sophomores eligible for this award?

they are, but shouldn't

right now, you should add Irving but for me is Harden price to lose right now.

[-Kees-]

Harden, Batum, Asik or Larry Sanders (last year 3.6 / 3.1 with 1.5B, this year 9.4 / 8.3 with 2.4B, arguably Bucks best big man)

[Basti]

Not that I think he's a top candidate anyway but would Kirilenko be eligible?

[bledredwine]

I think that most of these players haven't improved as much as they've gotten more minutes.

But in terms of actual improvement, it's got to be Kemba.
And I'm an Asik homer

After that, I'd say Serge, and although he has the same skill set, I swear what I've seen from JR Smith is completely different than the past: the dude is actually playing smart. It's weird.

I always liked his game, now I'm pissed he's not a Bull.
And yes I'm a Bulls fan, but MAN has Joakim been playing out of his damned mind this year.

[No-Man]

Not that I think he's a top candidate anyway but would Kirilenko be eligible?

[Basti]

Not that I think he's a top candidate anyway but would Kirilenko be eligible?

Eligible as in disregard the one season he was playing overseas. As I said, he's not a (top) candidate, at best a honorable mention, if you disregard that one season in Russia. I just wonder if, theoretically speaking, AK posted stats of, say, 16/7/5/2/2 that if he was eligible to be a candidate with one year away from the NBA.