NBA Most Improved Player 2025-26 Season: Latest Power Rankings as Jalen Johnson Enters the Chat (Dec 6, 2025)

Ultimately, the Most Improved Player (MIP) award boils down to impressive year-to-year statistics. The easiest way to trace a player's improvement in the NBA is to see how much their numbers leaped from one season to another.

Fans, of course, can further break this down to week-to-week performances. In the seventh week of the 2025-26 campaign, some players have turned in some headline-worthy games, making their respective cases for the MIP award.

#5 Josh Giddey, Chicago Bulls

Previous Ranking: 4th

NBA: Chicago Bulls at Indiana Pacers - Source: Imagn

GP 19 | PPG 21.0 | RPG 10.0 | APG 9.2 | SPG 1.0 | BPG 0.4 | TOV 3.6

FG 48.6% | 3PT 39.1% | FT 73.7%

One player who has been stuffing the stat sheets is Josh Giddey. The Chicago Bulls court general has been flirting with a triple-double average for weeks now, but the Bulls' 9-13 record casts a dark cloud over his individual brilliance.

#4 Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks

Previous Ranking: New Entry

NBA: Charlotte Hornets at Atlanta Hawks - Source: Imagn

GP 20 | PPG 23.2 | RPG 10.0 | APG 7.3 | SPG 1.6 | BPG 0.4 | TOV 3.3

FG 53.9% | 3PT 41.3% | FT 78.9%

Another player who has gotten the NBA buzzing is Jalen Johnson, who put three-time MVP Nikola Jokic on notice when they squared off against each other this past Friday. In the first half of the Hawks-Nuggets matchup, Johnson already had a triple-double (11 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists). Though the Hawks ended up losing to Denver, Johnson has shown that he is worthy of both All-Star chatter and MIP consideration.

#3 Ajay Mitchell, OKC Thunder

Previous Ranking: 2nd

Oklahoma City Thunder v Golden State Warriors - Source: Getty

GP 22 | PPG 15.0 | RPG 3.5 | APG 3.7 | SPG 1.5 | BPG 0.3 | TOV 1.6

FG 46.7% | 3PT 34.2% | FT 87.0%

Ajay Mitchell and his OKC Thunder teammates have tasted defeat just once in this regular season. Mitchell has been a huge part of the defending champions' success, but he has not been as prolific this past week. In a 124-112 win against the Golden State Warriors, Mitchell put up just 10 points and four rebounds.

#2 Austin Reaves, LA Lakers

Previous Ranking: New Entry

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers at Toronto Raptors - Source: Imagn

GP 18 | PPG 28.9 | RPG 5.7 | APG 6.8 | SPG 1.2 | BPG 0.1 | TOV 3.4

FG 52.6% | 3PT 37.1% | FT 88.2%

The LA Lakers are hot on the Thunder's trail in the West, and Austin Reaves deserves a lot of credit for the purple and gold's squad ascent. On Thursday, Reaves exploded for 44 points on 13-for-21 shooting as the Luka Doncic-less Lakers turned back the Toronto Raptors 123-120.

#1 Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons

Previous Ranking: 1st

Detroit Pistons v Indiana Pacers - Source: Getty

GP 19 | PPG 19.0 | RPG 11.5 | APG 1.9 | SPG 0.8 | BPG 0.9 | TOV 2.5

FG 65.7% | FT 75.8%

Though Jalen Duren's eight-point performance against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday was hardly MIP material, he continues to make an impact on both ends of the floor for the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons. Besides, his 21-point, 11-rebound outing against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday served as a reminder that his season-to-season improvement has propelled the Pistons to the top.