Ranking the Top 7 Most Improved Players in the NBA for 2022/23 Season

• The 2022/23 NBA regular season is over, and fans are still digesting some of the historic and memorable moments
• There are several players who've taken incredible leaps and are vying for the Most Improved Player award
• Lauri Markkanen has been one of the stories of the season, but who else has improved?

The 2022/23 NBA season is over. We've witnessed several record-breaking performances in a special season.

Los Angeles Lakers star, LeBron James, became the league's all-time leading scorer in February in what was the best moment in an entertaining campaign.

Whereas we've seen the usual suspects drop outstanding performances, we've also seen several players take leaps. Ja Morant won last season's Most Improved Player award.

Sports Brief looks at the most improved players in the NBA this season.

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Top 8 most improved players

7. De’Aaron Fox - Sacramento Kings

Fox was incredible in the regular season. He received his first All-Star selection and led the Kings to their first playoff berth since 2006. Fox's numbers are up too, compared to the 2021/22 season. Last season, he averaged 23.2 points on 47.3% shooting from the floor, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. This season he improved to 25 points on 51.2 shooting from the field, 4.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 73 NBA games. Can he carry this on in the playoffs?

6. Markelle Fultz - Orlando Magic

The no. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft has endured a difficult career blighted by injuries. He played just 26 games in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons. At 24, he's starting to show his true potential with the Magic.

He is averaging 14 points per game this season and shooting 51.4% from the field, up from 10.8 last season when he played just 18 games. He played 72 games in the 2019/2020 season, the most he's ever played in his career and averaged 12.1 points. Despite the injuries, Fultz is on the right path, per CBS Sports.

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5. Tyrese Haliburton - Indiana Pacers

Eyebrows were raised when the Kings traded Haliburton to the Pacers in February 2022. However, it has been a win-win trade for both teams. Domantas Sabonis is thriving in Sacramento, while Haliburton has become one of the best point guards in the NBA. He got his first All-Star selection this season, per the Athletic.

In 56 games, he is averaging 20.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game. He is shooting 49% from the field, up from 47.3% last season.

4. Mikal Bridges - Brooklyn Nets

Bridges was arguably the best two-way player in the NBA in the last few seasons. He made history by playing 83 games this season after his trade to the Nets from the Phoenix Suns. He took an incredible leap, with Brooklyn averaging 26.1 points in 27 games.

In 83 games in the just concluded regular season, he averaged a career-best 20.1 points, shooting 46.8% from the field and 38.2% from three. Can he lead the Nets past Philadelphia in the playoffs?

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3. Jalen Brunson - New York Knicks

Jalen Brunson had his breakout year with the Dallas Mavericks last season. This campaign, he has been one of the New York Knicks' best players as they returned to the playoffs.

He's averaging a career-best 24 points, up from 16.3 last season. He has a chance to lead the Knicks in the postseason against Cleveland.

2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - Oklahoma City Thunder

The 24-year-old had a brilliant regular season. He's dragged the Oklahoma City Thunder to the play-in tournament and could lead the young team into the postseason, per the Athletic.

He averaged 31.4 points per game which was the fourth-best in the NBA. It was a significant leap considering he posted just 24.5 points last season. He received his first All-Star selection. He will be a regular at the All-Star game if he continues with these performances.

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1. Lauri Markkanen - Utah Jazz

Markkanen was a top-10 draft pick in 2017 but struggled to get going with the Chicago Bulls in the first four seasons of his career. He joined the Utah Jazz this season and has registered career highs in points and assists. He also got his first All-Star selection.

He averaged 25.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 66 games. He is the front-runner for this season's most improved player award, per ESPN.

Durant on Gilgeous-Alexander

Sports Brief earlier reported on Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant weighing in on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's season.

Durant, who won his only MVP award with the Thunder in 2014, was full of praise for the young star. The 34-year-old superstar had quite a few to say on the guard, calling him unstoppable

“No matter what you’re doing on the defensive side of the ball, you just can’t stop what he’s doing. It’s hard cause he’s tall, he’s lanky, he plays at his own pace.”