Breaking Down Top Contenders for NBA's Most Improved Player Award

The debate surrounding the NBA's Most Improved Player honors can become pretty contentious, at least among serious hoops fans.

It doesn't promise the same scale and significance of an MVP argument, but it speaks to a cause we can all appreciate: recognition for a rising star.

Some of this year's Most Improved Player candidates have already become household names, none more so than Jeremy Lin. His emergence onto the scene in New York will forever define 2012 just as much as anything Kevin Durant or LeBron James did this season.

But is Lin really the most improved pro? He has some competition.

Ryan Anderson, Orlando Magic

Forget Anderson being improved—he was one of the best long-range shooters in the league this year. His per-minute numbers have actually been pretty consistent over the last couple of years, but Anderson played an additional 10 minutes a game this year, and the production followed suit. He raised his scoring average by almost six points a game and improved his rebounding numbers as well.

Anderson probably doesn't deserve the award by virtue of the fact that he's really been this good for a couple of years. His percentages and per-minute production haven't changed so much as his amount of playing time.

Greg Monroe, Detroit Pistons

My personal pick for Most Improved Player, Greg Monroe took his game to a completely new level this year. He didn't receive significantly more playing time, but he raised his scoring average six points with a much more polished low-post game. He also improved his rebounding and nearly doubled his still-modest assist output.

Monroe was one of the few bright spots in the Pistons' bleak season; it'd be nice to recognize the one good thing Detroit has going for it.

DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings

While there might not have been a single defining change in Cousins' game, he improved across the board. In just two additional minutes of average playing time, Cousins scored four more points per game, shot the ball more efficiently, got two more boards a game and improved his defensive numbers for good measure.

Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks

Lin may be the fastest-rising star in the league, but he's a poor fit for this award. It's not as if Lin averaged 20 minutes of mediocre basketball with some team last year—he only played in 29 games. The biggest difference between last season and this season was getting the opportunity to play.

Of course, Lin took full advantage of that opportunity and instantly became an iconic figure in all of sports. Still, he's not the kind of player this award should recognize.

Nikola Pekovic, Minnesota Timberwolves

Pekovic nearly doubled his playing time this year for Minnesota, but he more than doubled his production to 13.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He wound up starting 35 games in a season cut short by injury but was often overshadowed by the emergence of Ricky Rubio. After Monroe, Pekovic might make the best case for this award.