The NBA’s Most Improved Player of 2014

It’s been a banner year for NBA players making big strides. Who takes home the title of Most Improved Player?

The NBA’s Most Improved Player of 2014: Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers has been named the NBA’s Most improved player for the 2013-14 season. Irving, who was also named to the All-Star team this season, averaged 20.8 points and 6.9 assists per game while shooting a career-high 41.9 percent from three-point range

The NBA’s Most Improved Player of 2014: Rudy Gobert

Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player for the 2014 season. Gobert, who is 7-feet-1, averaged 9.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in his second season with the Jazz.

The NBA’s Most Improved Player of 2014: Jimmy Butler

Chicago Bulls shooting guard and small forward Jimmy Butler earned the title of NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year for the 2013-2014 season. Butler averaged career highs in points (20.0), rebounds (5.8), assists (3.3) and steals (1.9) while shooting career bests from the field (.452) and three-point range (.341). He also played a career-high 38.7 minutes per game.

The NBA’s Most improved player of 2014: Draymond Green

Draymond Green is the most Improved Player in the NBA. When he was drafted in 2012, he was known as a hard worker with Good defensive instincts, but not much more. In his rookie season, Green improved his Three-point shooting and became a key part of the Golden State Warriors’ run to the NBA Finals

Last season, Green took another big step forward, averaging 12 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists per game He also became one of the best defenders in the league, often guarding the opponents’ best player. As a result of his improvement, Green was named to the All-Star team and helped lead the Warriors to the best record in the NBA.

The NBA’s Most Improved Player of 2014: Klay Thompson

Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors has been named the NBA’s Most Improved Player for 2014.

Thompson, who is in his fourth season with the Warriors, averaged a career-high 18.4 points per game this past season. He also shot a career-best 41.7 percent from three-point range and was named to the All-Star team for the first time in his career.

In addition to his scoring prowess, Thompson also showed significant improvement on the defensive end of the court, averaging 1.5 steals per game. He helped lead the Warriors to a league-best 67-15 record and a berth in the NBA Finals where they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in five games.

The NBA’s Most Improved Player of 2014: Kemba Walker

Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Hornets has been named the NBA’s Most Improved Player for the 2014 season.

Walker, who was drafted by the Hornets in 2011, averaged a career-high 17.7 points per game and 5.2 assists per game this past season. He also shot a career-best 36.6 percent from three-point range.

“Kemba Walker took his game to another level this season,” said Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford. “He worked extremely hard to become a better all-around player and it showed in his numbers.”

Walker is the first player in Hornets history to win the award. He joins some esteemed company, as previous winners include Jimmy Butler Paul George, and Goran Dragic.

The NBA’s Most Improved Player of 2014: Khris Middleton

Khris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks has been named the NBA’s Most Improved Player for the 2013-14 season. Middleton, who was acquired by the Bucks in a trade with the Detroit Pistons last season, averaged 12.1 points and 4.7 rebounds in 79 games (36 starts) this season. He shot a career-high 46 percent from the field and 41 percent from three-point range, and he also established himself as one of the NBA’s best defenders.

The NBA’s Most Improved Player of 2014: Hassan Whiteside

In his fourth NBA season Hassan Whiteside took a quantum leap forward, going from a player who had been out of the league for two years to one of the most impactful big men in the league. The 7-foot center was a key part of the Miami Heat’s return to the playoffs, and he was rewarded for his breakout season with the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award Whiteside averaged 14.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game, all career-highs, while shooting 59.9 percent from the field and 76.0 percent from the Free Throw Line He also led the league in blocks per game and finished second in total blocks (269).

The NBA’s Most Improved Player of 2014: CJ McCollum

CJ McCollum was the big winner at the NBA Awards Show last night, taking home the trophy for Most Improved Player.

The young Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard had a breakout season in 2013-14, averaging 20.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 42.1 percent from three-point range.

McCollum was drafted 10th overall by the Blazers in 2013 and only played sparingly as a rookie, but he proved to be one of the most improved players in the league this past season.

The NBA’s Most Improved Player of 2014: Enes Kanter

Enes Kanter who was the third overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft has been named the NBA’s Most Improved Player for the 2013-2014 season. The 22-year-old center averaged 12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds in 29.6 minutes per game while shooting 55.7 percent from the field and 71.0 percent from the free throw line in his second season with the Utah Jazz

Kanter, who is from Turkey, is the first Jazz player to win the award since Mehmet Okur in 2006-2007. He is also the first Turkish-born player to win any major NBA award.