Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, has officially won the 2025 Most Improved Player award. It was a massive upset as Dyson was listed at +3000 odds to win the award when the market opened.
Daniels was traded from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Hawks this offseason in the Dejounte Murray trade. Daniels was a starter from day one and made an incredible defensive impact in addition to boosting his scoring totals. Most Improved Player is typically awarded to someone taking a huge scoring jump, but the combination of his defensive breakout and scoring increase sealed the deal. As a contender for DPOY, Daniels is a shoo-in for All-Defense First Team honors.
Dyson led the league in steals by a wide margin. Really, wide is an understatement as the gap between Daniels’ 229 steals and second place (SGA with 131) is the same as the difference between second place and 265th. It’s the first time a player has averaged over three steals per game since 1990-91 when Alvin Robertson accomplished the rare feat. The list is small: the Hawks guard joins Robertson, John Stockton, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Slick Watts, Don Buse, and Micheal Ray Richardson in the three-plus steals per game club.
It’s the second straight year a player initially listed +3000 or better won the award. Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey was +6000 before last season to win Most Improved Player. The underdogs will warrant heavy attention next year in this league full of talent.
Notably, one DraftKings Sportsbook bettor won big by taking Daniels to win the award this season. Back in February, they placed a $500 wager on the guard at +15000 odds, resulting in an eventual payout of a stunning $75,000.
