All-Star Knicks forward Julius Randle has been named the Most Improved Player of the 2020/21 NBA season, the league announced in a press release.
Randle was listed as one of three finalists for the award last week, along with Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. and Porter’s former teammate, current Pistons forward Jerami Grant.
Randle received 98 of 100 possible first-place votes from polled reporters and journalists, while Grant netted the other two. Rockets center Christian Wood and Bulls guard Zach LaVine rounded out the top five vote-getters.
JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors supplies the full voting results here (Twitter link).
Randle, who was drafted with the seventh pick out of Kentucky in 2014 by the Lakers, posted impressive numbers with Los Angeles and later the Pelicans, but has secured a true home while blossoming into an All-NBA talent under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.
Across 71 of a possible 72 games, the 26-year-old averaged 24.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG, and 6.0 APG, all career-bests, while leading New York to its first playoff berth in eight seasons. The 6’8″ forward also posted a slash line of .456/.411/.811 during the 2020/21 regular season.
Thanks to the improvement of Randle and RJ Barrett and the game-planning expertise of new head coach Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks didn’t just make the postseason under Randle’s leadership — they also nabbed the No. 4 seed in the East with a 41-31 record, clinching home court advantage in the ongoing first round of the playoffs.
Randle, who inked a three-year, $63MM deal with the Knicks in the summer of 2019, will be eligible for a veteran extension this summer, ahead of the non-guaranteed final year of his deal. If Randle and the Knicks agree to a maximum four-year extension, such a deal could carry a $106MM+ base value, with added incentives.
Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram won the award last year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
I applauded the Lakers for drafting him and knew they would regret not resigning him! Great get for the Knicks!
Well no one knew he turn out to be this good knicks just got lucky
Lol…its not lucky.but its hardwork and thib used him in the right way.he wont be this good under fizdale
He performed well with the Pelicans too, thus the $20+m per year deal.
Really the top 4 vote-getters just needed a better situation or more PT. MPG could always shoot, but his defense can still be comical… I think he does try. I was a year early predicting Grant would be a 20+ scorer, but MPG was in his way. Randle & Wood always seemed to do as well as their teams would let them.
What a BS response. Give JR some credit. The guy worked hard and has turned himself into a stud of a player. That’s not luck.
I know he has been good this year. But he has had really good seasons with Pels, and Lakers. He has for a long time been a borderline all star. He was bad last year and really good this year. But actual improvement of overall play was more fitting for guys like Clarkson, Porter Jr., Grant, and Wood. These guys with the exception of Wood were never close to the performance they gave this season.
Porter’s a 2nd year guy, kind of surprised he was considered at all tbh. And Clarkson was really good last year as well.
Wood has a case but missed a lot of time. Grant I can see an argument for.
Porter did take a huge jump last year. He didn’t really do a ton to stand out last year before the bubble. The bubble/playoffs helped establish him as a legit starting wing. Not a top 2 MIP guy, but definitely deserved top 4 consideration along with Grant, Randle, and Wood.
Congrats Player. Truth is he was late to blossom. He’s always shown the talent. But never the IQ or decision making. He is in the best shape of his life. And he’s gotten better every yr. You earned it Julius. Stay focused brother. Still got a lot to do in NY. Only just begun. Congratulations
Im telling you bro he has shown IQ and passing to go with 20/10 for a few seasons now. The big differene this year was he played d better and he was a leader who contributed to winning. I think that puts him in MVP conversation not MIP. He has shown this type of impact play over his career.
That and he added a three point shot and an improved jumper. Hard worker, glad he’s the face of the Knicks.
There’s a difference between being the MVP of the team and MVP of the league. This season alone there’s at least a half dozen MVP candidates that I would argue have a better case to be MVP than Randle. Jokic, Embiid, Curry, Gianis, LeBron, and Lillard at the minimum. I can maybe see an argument for Harden too. Randle would have to put up another similar (or better) season like this plus get the Knicks into a top 2 seed and/or win the division to get serious consideration for MVP imo. Tough to justify an MVP when your the 3rd or 4th best team in your division.
He made bad decisions. Tried to go one two . One on three. Took bad shots. Knicks were ready to trade him. It’s why they drafted Toppin. He also forced the game. Now Knicks coaching n offense has something to do with it. No real development or continuity. I ve said this when we signed him. Fans call him a stat guy cause he was on bad teams. I said if you can put up 20 n 10 in the NBA. You got talent. It’s up to the offense to incorporate you. Randle is more in control now. Better shape better decisions and yes better D. Make him a solid player. Thibs and drafting Toppin, is what did it to me. He’s a worker makes him a Thibs guy. He’s a much better team player now. The game has slowed down for him. He has truly worked himself to allstar level. I give him a lot of credit.
Al, three posts of feint praise for Randle to cover previously rejecting him is way too much! You were one of those saying Randle should go and soon will be gone. To be fair, maybe you thought he threatened the tank, or was in the way of Toppin… and it was conventional wisdom. Whatever, you can stop recovering. Now don’t make it four posts.
First off I don’t mind criticism. But get it right. I’ve talked him up since we got him. But our management n coaches here were a mess. 90% of Knick fans and team wanted him gone. That’s what drafting Toppin was about. Yes if you get a guy who can start. Then you work Randle to move him. Since you don’t want him. We don’t make those decisions. Best for team is to get value for a player. Sooooo as a fan you look out for team NOT player. No one knew what Thibs would do here lol. I might have been his biggest supporter here. But I never expected 4th seed. At best 8th seed. He saw something in Randle where no other of 3 coaches in two yrs did or management. So where the plan might have been to show him and move him. The plans changed. He’s a FA to be lol. He’s was as good as gone if not for Thibs. No one wanted him. So as a team guy, I look out for my team. Cause imo Toppin is still a PF starter one day. And we are in a rebuild. Thibs has sped all this up. And Randle to his credit has shut us all up. I’m not a wannabe fan. I know the game and I’m all about my team. And the most important thing about this team this year. Was to continue the rebuild and look for FA and trades and the Draft. Things changed along the way. I’m still about rebuild. I’m fearful this success will make them give up picks for a quick fix. I don’t want another Melo situation. Where we give up whole team and future for one good season and a star player. No one on this board understands how hard it is to truly rebuild in NY.
Sports groupies are just excited about NYs resergence and politiced an award for one of thier guys. If anything Thibs should get coach of the year.
Randle went from an above average starter to probably All NBA. Doubled his assists. When from sub 30% from 3 to over 40% on volume. And was the driver of a team that vastly exceeded expectations this year.
Not saying you can’t argue other guys but saying it was rigged for Randle is ridiculous.
Edit: He also more than doubled his previous best BPM.
Not rigged. Over promoted influenced. But I am exaggerating a bit. He is a worthy candidate. As you said. I just argue other guys were more fitting.
What is an Improved Player a guy who goes from Borderline All Star to All Star? Or a guy who goes from bonafide role player to teams 1 or 2 man and borderline all star?
Depends on circumstances. Randle made a dramatic transformation that as mentioned resulted in team success. He was probably best on this list starting the season but I doubt anyone has him leading the Knicks to a 4 seed. Grant is the only other person I’d give it to. His problem is he put up a lot more empty stats being the defacto #1 option and his production fell off at seasons end.
Good point.
Randle definitely deserves it. Congrats to him.
Congratulations. I hope you want to stay in NY.
I would’ve voted for Grant for calling his shot and fulfilling, but Randle remade himself for this season. And the Knicks made the playoffs.
Ps – how good did Barrett look last night?
I would have voted Steph Curry after the season he had last year. But just like the fouls he doesn’t get my man is always overlooked.
It’s not comeback player of the year, it’s most improved player.
Only a Morty/Marty thinks that Curry is always overlooked.
Curry was the unanimous MVP one year – he hardly qualifies as being “overlooked”.
Good call, I like Randle. I do think his accent was smaller than the likes of MPJ and Wood(who I think are the only argument). But it’s simple, MPJ is a 2nd year so unlikely and Wood missed far too many games. Randle gone from a good player to an AS. Interesting to see these three next year if fully fit.
Kenny Payne is basically the entire reason Randle broke out this year. Dude is a muse for those Kentucky guys.
where did nerlens play college ball again?
King Julius ♂️
Randle is doing what Jimmy Butler did under Thibs. He’s earned this award IMO. Without Randles improvement this yr. Knicks don’t make playoffs. He’s improved in all areas of game. Thibs compared him to Ewing work ethic. No one worked harder than Patrick in NY. That’s high praise. Randle following in Kobe’s foot steps as a worker. Should also let you know about him. To me an athlete has a 10 to 12 great career. Best he can be. If you are not improving your game. You’re not working.
Amen, I think when he gets more experience leading a team as a star he will improve even more. Still makes some silly mistakes such as to and bad shots but he’s looked great. Would help to have another star scorer with him
Good on JR for such a great season… but personally I think MPJ should have won, he basically doubled up his stats, JR was already pretty good, just got better.
Anyway MPJ will go to greater things than MIP in the years to come, so it probably will mean more in the long run for JR, who is a deserving winner, C-Wood should have been the other finalist, having Grant in there is a joke, right?
Who won the Most Un-Improved Player Award ??????
Klay Thompson.
Well earned! Now you have something to celebrate after the Hawks show you the way out of the playoffs!
I’ll give Young credit. He had a big gm. Garden crowd abusing him came back to haunt them. Good for him he pulled a Miller. It’s one gm lol. Young will get the attention he needs now. Randle n RJ are not having another bad gm.
U stunk but now ur good. Here’s a trophy.
A no brainer. Randle is the guy the award was created to reward. A guy who just goes home, works on this game and improves his game. Proving your worth, and putting up greater numbers via a better opportunity, are great things, but they’re not necessarily primarily due to the player’s individual improvement. It’s always a mix, but Randle is alone in being a veteran guy returning to the same team, with the same teammates, and without the HC going into the season with an agenda to give him a more central role. Thibs caught on early, but it was Randle who compelled an adjustment in the team’s thinking about him.
Voters got it right two years in a row. Ingram, also, prior to last year, really worked on his game – his 3 pt and FT shooting in particular.
This is for all the Haters. You may not like or appreciate Nttilikina talent. But a guy needs mins to stay sharp. Not saying He’s the answer. But it’s a no brained to me to have a guy ready. Considering your starting PG is in a bad funk. What did I say about playing Young last 3 mins of gm. Well you may not believe it from a baller like me. But here’s a former MVP saying the same Shot.
link to nypost.com
Rose said the lack of ball pressure made Young’s night one to remember for Hawks fans. The profane Garden Trae chants did nothing to shake him in his playoff debut.
“If you look on the film, we weren’t into the ball,” Rose said. “We kind of let him go and dictate the game. We got to make sure – he didn’t turn his back one time. We got to make sure that we play a little bit harder.”
You Wellcome ……
Recognize …….
link to espn.com