Some 7,500 light years away from Earth, at the center of a swirling vortex of nebulous clouds larger than our entire solar system lies Eta Carinae.
A stellar system that burns over five million times brighter than our sun, Eta Carinae is the only star of its kind in the known universe. Observing it has sparked new theories and understandings of radiation, fusion, and spectral energy distribution.
But astronomers and stargazers have watched and recorded Eta Carinae every night since 1679 for one reason; because it continues to defy expectations. At over 150 million years old, Eta Carine burned the brightest it ever has just last year – the brightest it may ever be until it eventually explodes in a supernova.
The birth of Eta Carinae was like any other star; violent and punctuated by eruptions. Once fusion begins at the core level, it begins an unmistakable and often rapid process that ends in the formation a full fledged star. The NBA has a few stars of its own, and their eruptions are not so different.
It would be nice to call the Most Improved Player award the Eta Carinae Award, but nobody would get it aside from astronomers who like basketball.
In a galaxy of stars, only a few players have unexpectedly moved toward supernova stage. The guy I have on top of these rankings isn’t often mentioned in the Most Improved Player award debate … but he should be.
1. Stephen Curry, G, Warriors
51% FG%, 93% FT%, 5.0 3PTM, 31.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 6.1 APG, 2.6 SPG, .2 BP, 3.6 TO
If one player has vaulted himself to a new level of stardom, it is undoubtedly Stephen Curry. He is morphing from being the best player in the NBA last season to being the best player in all of sports. The truth is that it’s not even close, he’s improved across the board in leaps and bounds. He’s averaging nearly 10 more PPG than last season, leads the league in 3PTM by a massive margin, and is shooting 67% in the paint – 2nd in the NBA. His undefeated Golden State Warriors team looks poised to challenge the ‘96-’97 Bulls record for 72 regular season wins because Steph is like Mike, actually Curry’s true shooting percentage is 6 points better than Michael Jordan’s career high. The only thing holding Steph back is how quickly the Dubs are blowing out teams; he hasn’t played in the fourth quarter of his last four games.
2. Hassan Whiteside, C, Heat
60% FG%, 54% FT%, 0 3PTM, 14 PPG, 11.4 RPG, .3 APG, .7 SPG, 4.8 BP, 2.1 TO
You might say that Hassan Whiteside finishing 4th in last year’s Most Improved Player race precludes him from being it this year – and you would be wrong. First of all the man is leading the NBA in BPG at 4.8, which is almost 2 BPG more than any other player. He has been much more consistent than last season, registering 9 or more rebounds in every game except one since opening night and averaging 2.2 BPG more than last season. Whiteside earned a triple-double with 12 blocks against Minnesota and has improved on last years marks in every category. Whiteside has been Miami’s answer to opponents’ small ball lineups, and perhaps most impressively has become the Heat’s best two-way player on a roster that has a combined 29 All Star appearances. He currently ranks 13th overall in fantasy and stands among the best centers in the NBA.
3. C.J. McCollum, G, Blazers
46% FG%, 88% FT%, 2.1 3PTM, 20.4 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.1 APG, .9 SPG, .4 BP, 2.1 TO
If you compare last year’s stats to this year, CJ McCollum has grown more than any player in the NBA. CJ averaged only 6.8 points last year behind Wesley Matthews, but is averaging 20 PPG and 2.1 3PTM this season in starting duties. His 37-point performance in the season opener, high percentages, 3.1 APG, and ever improving AST/TO ratio proves his value as a decision maker. After losing four-fifth of the starting lineup to free agency in the offseason, Blazers fans can take solace in the fact that GM Neil Olshey has another star to pair with Damian Lillard in the backcourt for the foreseeable future. McCollum is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league and appears to be improving in every game.
4. Ish Smith, G, Pelicans
41% FG%, 72% FT%, .6 3PTM, 11.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 8.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, .4 BP, 2.1 TO
On a Pelicans team decimated by injuries, the silver lining has been the unexpected production of Ish Smith. On his 10th team in five seasons, Smith was picked up by the Pels just two days before the start of the ’15-’16 campaign. He currently is third in the NBA in assists, and has nearly doubled his previous career highs in steals and points per game. Smith has capitalized on the opportunity to play the lion’s share of minutes with Jrue Holiday still under heavy minutes restrictions, and appears to have finally found a home. He’s had 10 or more assists in four of his last six games, and the speedster shows no signs of slowing down.
5. Evan Fournier, F, Magic
46% FG%, 79% FT%, 2.4 3PTM, 17.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0 BP, 1.7 TO
On a Magic squad loaded with first-round picks, Evan Fournier has emerged as the leading scorer and one of the best surprises of the young season. He has gone from a rotation player to leading the Magic in minutes per game and doubled his win shares per 48 minutes. The 23-year old has made the 7th most 3 pointers in the NBA, including 5 threes and a game-winner over the Wolves. This dark horse candidate will need to lead the Magic to more victories to earn MIP, but with career highs in across the board, including 1.3 steals, Fournier might be ready to turn that corner. The Frenchman sits at number 35 overall in fantasy.
Kaveh Eslampour is a writer from New York with no experience in spectral energy distribution. Follow him on Twitter @KEslampour.