Ryan Rollins, Jalen Duren, and Deni Avdija are firmly the top three players in the Most Improved Player conversation right now. There is still a lot of basketball left to be played this season, giving someone else plenty of time to emerge, but these three aren't going anywhere. How does Rollins' case stack up against the other two? Let's break it down.
Rollins is making a case to win Most Improved Player
Bucks fans knew Ryan Rollins was due for big things this year, but the leap he has taken has surprised even them. After averaging 6.2 points, 1.9 assists, and 0.8 steals last season, he is currently sitting at 17.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. He's become a legitimate two-way phenom for the Milwaukee Bucks and one of their biggest hidden gem finds in recent years.
A prominent reason behind the breakout has simply been the opportunity. Initially slated to come off the bench behind Kevin Porter Jr. this year, an early injury thrust Rollins into the starting five, and he took full advantage. After averaging 4.8 shot attempts last season, that number has skyrocketed up to 14.3 this season, and he's hitting them extremely efficiently.
In Detroit, Jalen Duren has shown signs of growth as a scorer. Last season, he averaged 11.8 points, and this year, it's up to 19.5. He's uneniably taken a leap in that regard, but unlike Rollins, the other areas of his game haven't grown too much. Last year, he averaged 10.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game. This year, those numbers sit at 11.8 rebounds, two assists, and 1.1 blocks.
Portland's Deni Avdija has been nothing short of excellent. He's taken on a much more prominent role in the offense this season. His scoring is up to 25.5 points after averaging 16.9 last season, while also jumping from 3.9 assists to 5.5 this year. He's been much improved on that end, but his steals and rebounds are down compared to 2024-25.
All of them have a case, but Ryan Rollins feels like the clear frontrunner. Even if they weren't as good as they are now, both Duren and Avdija were well-known, quality players last season. Bucks fans knew Rollins had potential, but he is a new name to most of the rest of the NBA world, blowing his previous career highs out of the water.
Again, there is a lot of the NBA season left to go, but these three will continue to cement their cases.
It will be interesting to see how the return of Kevin Porter Jr. impacts Rollins, who may now get fewer shot attempts and a lesser role on offense in general.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.