Blazers’ C.J. McCollum named NBA’s Most Improved Player

It’s hardly a surprise, but now it’s official: C.J. McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers has been named as the NBA’s Most Improved Player for 2015-16.

Well, this comes as absolutely no surprise. More often than not, unless a star player truly takes their game to extraordinary new heights, the NBA’s Most Improved Player award typically goes to someone who’s received a bunch more minutes each night and their scoring output and stats have soared because of it. This year, with a major new role and impressive scoring ability, Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard C.J. McCollum is taking home the trophy.

Since emerging as a dynamic shooter alongside Damian Lillard, the two have combined as one of the league’s top scoring backcourts and McCollum has been singled out as an obvious favorite to win the award for most of the season. The Blazers lost four starters in free agency last summer and along with head coach Terry Stotts working wonders, McCollum was a major reason why.

As his minutes per game increased from 15.7 in 2014-15 to 34.8 this season, he jumped from 6.8 points a night to 20.8. He stayed aggressive inside and out, shooting 41.7 percent from three and earning career-highs across the board, including a jump from one assist per game to 4.3.

As you can see from the rest of the votes, other expected names appeared near the top of the list, too.

Plenty of worthy players received votes, but beyond the argument that can easily be made for Stephen Curry (which is sure to divide opinion), Kemba Walker was well and truly deserving of 2nd place. He led the Charlotte Hornets throughout the season, averaging a career-high 20.9 points per game while improving his shooting to a new level, shooting 42.7 percent overall and drastically improving his three-point game (a career-high 37.1 percent from deep).

3rd place Giannis Antetokounmpo also had a brilliant season, moving to point guard in order to lead the Milwaukee Bucks’ offense with his combination of passing, vision, driving ability, and freakish athleticism. He finished the season with 16.9 points on 50.6 percent shooting, 7.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.4 blocks per game (all career-highs), recording five triple-doubles in the process.

So, as for that reigning MVP candidate, it’s impressive that he received seven 1st place votes — just as much as 2nd place Kemba Walker. It’s hard to fault the voting, though. Because while Curry was already the MVP and an NBA champion, he took his scoring to ridiculous new heights, adding 6.3 points extra per game with 50.4/45.4/90.8 shooting splits.

To achieve the absurd range that he has, changing the game with his shot creation and shattering his own season record with 402 threes, there’s no doubt he improved an awful lot. If that wasn’t enough, he shot 69.6 percent within three feet and led the league in steals with 2.1, too.

However, regardless of your view on Curry or any of the other candidates, C.J. McCollum was a worthy winner in his own right. He just thoroughly benefited from being on a team that lost four starters, freeing up a host of minutes and shots for him in the process.

Now, his existing talent has simply been revealed.

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