Golden State Warriors: Handing out end-of-the-year team awards
Most Improved Player
The MIP for the Golden State Warriors is the team’s backup center, Kevon Looney.
Looney has stepped up this season in a big way. Looney was the team’s starting center for a brief period of time between Damian Jones season-ending injury and the return of DeMarcus Cousins. In that time, he proved that he belongs in the NBA.
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In 18.7 minutes per game, Looney has averaged career-high 6.2 points per game. While not overly impressive, what is tremendously impressive is the fact that he’s scored those points on 62.7% from the field.
Tack on a career-high 5.2 rebounds and a career-high 1.5 assists per game, and it’s clear that Looney’s been having his best season in the league. He’s found a home, and more importantly, he’s found consistent minutes.
There isn’t much to dislike about Looney’s game. He can’t create his own shot which is what could take him to the next level, but on Golden State’s star-loaded roster, he doesn’t need to create: he needs to be efficient.
Looney’s done what has been asked of him, and he’s done it extremely well. For that reason, he’s our Most Improved Player.