Chicago Bulls guard Coby White narrowly missed out on the 2024 Kia Most Improved Player award, finishing second behind Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers in final voting.
Caruso first this put pressure on White to receive an invitation to participate in the three-point competition. And the Bulls tried to help him rise to the top with a video trending on social media featuring White.
White, 24, is averaging 19.1 points on 57% shooting along with 5.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds this season, shooting 37.6% from outside arc.
White’s 9.4 PPG gain from last season was greater than Maxey’s 5.6 PPG gain.
Maxey, 23, also had a scoring season third consecutive high, averaging 25.9 points, 6.2 assists and 3.7 rebounds in the 2023-24 season. He also earned his first All-Star nod this season, helping the 76ers stay afloat without Joel Embiid.
White has endured two consecutive down seasons, averaging 15 .1 sophomore point in 2020-21. .
However, this should not be included in a single award.
History of most improved player chose Tyrese Maxey over Coby White >There is precedent for the award being given to players with rebounding records, the most recent being the reigning winner: former Bull and current Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen. Markkanen had a similar run with the Bulls before finding his footing with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It took him another season to win this award, and that too for the first time he appeared at the All -Star.
The All-Star wink was not an inherent knockdown blow for White. But this underlines Maxey’s victory