Who Were the Top Contenders for the 2020 Most Improved Player NBA Award?

When I first started diving deep into NBA award races, the 2020 Most Improved Player discussion immediately caught my attention. There's something uniquely compelling about tracking players who make that dramatic leap from role players to genuine difference-makers. I remember watching Brandon Ingram's transformation that season and thinking, "This is exactly what the award was created for." His scoring average jumped from 18.3 to 23.8 points per game, and honestly, seeing him develop that three-point shot after shooting just 33% the previous season was remarkable. The Pelicans really needed someone to step up after Anthony Davis' departure, and Ingram absolutely seized that opportunity.

What fascinates me about improvement narratives is how they parallel stories from other sports. I was recently reading about Poland's volleyball situation after their disappointing performances in the 2022 Worlds and 2024 Olympics. They're counting on their star duo of Wilfredo Leon and Jakub Kochanowski to bring the top-ranked nation back to championship form. This reminds me so much of the NBA's Most Improved Player conversation - it's about athletes taking that next step to elevate not just themselves but their entire team. Bam Adebayo's case for the 2020 MIP award perfectly exemplifies this. His numbers jumped from 8.9 points and 7.3 rebounds to 15.9 points and 10.2 rebounds, but more importantly, he became the defensive anchor for a Miami Heat team that surprisingly reached the NBA Finals.

Luka Dončić made an incredible statistical leap that season too, going from 21.2 points to 28.8 points per game, though personally I've always felt that jumping from superstar to MVP candidate feels different than the traditional MIP trajectory. The beauty of this award is that it often recognizes players who weren't necessarily expected to become stars. I'm particularly drawn to stories like Christian Wood's that season - going from nearly out of the league to putting up 13.1 points and 6.3 rebounds for Detroit. That kind of journey resonates with me more than the predictable progression of high draft picks.

Thinking about team contexts, the Heat's system allowed Adebayo to flourish in ways he might not have elsewhere, similar to how Poland's volleyball structure is built around maximizing Leon and Kochanowski's talents after their recent international disappointments. Development isn't just about individual effort - it's about finding the right environment and seizing opportunities when they come. Devonte' Graham's story that season was particularly inspiring to me - he went from averaging 4.7 points to 18.2 points while nearly doubling his assists. That kind of jump from deep bench player to starting caliber guard is what makes basketball so compelling to watch.

What often gets overlooked in MIP discussions is the defensive improvement. While everyone focuses on scoring increases, Adebayo's transformation into an All-Defensive Team candidate was equally impressive. His defensive rating improved from 105.3 to 102.1, and watching him switch onto guards while still protecting the rim was absolutely thrilling. This multidimensional growth reminds me of how complete athletes like Poland's volleyball stars need to develop all aspects of their game to lift their national team back to gold medal contention.

The voting results that year ultimately went to Brandon Ingram, and while I understood the choice, part of me wished the award could have recognized multiple players. Adebayo's impact on winning felt more significant to me, though Ingram's scoring explosion was undeniably impressive. These debates are what make following the NBA so engaging year after year. The 2020 MIP race particularly stands out in my memory because it featured such diverse candidate profiles - from former number two picks fulfilling their potential to undrafted players carving out meaningful careers.

Reflecting on improvement stories across sports, whether it's NBA players making that crucial jump or national teams like Poland's volleyball squad rebuilding around their core talents, the common thread is the relentless pursuit of growth. The 2020 NBA season gave us multiple compelling Most Improved Player cases that demonstrated different pathways to development, each with their own unique appeal and narrative weight. These stories of progression and breakthrough performances continue to be among my favorite aspects of following professional sports, offering reminders that dramatic improvement is always possible with the right combination of talent, opportunity, and dedication.