New York Knicks All-Star Julius Randle has brought home the Most Improved Player Award after helping lead the turnaround of a franchise in disarray for most of the last decade.
The NBA made the announcement on Tuesday.
The 2020-21 #KiaMIP is… @J30_RANDLE! #NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/wKSkUuC5Yy
— NBA (@NBA) May 25, 2021
Randle beat out several good candidates from this season.
The finalist also included Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. and Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant.
The 26-year-old Randle beat them both with 98 out of 100 first-place votes and was the clear runaway winner.
In winning the 2020-21 Kia NBA Most Improved Player Award, @J30_RANDLE received 98 of 100 first-place votes from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.
Complete voting results ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ekh07sex7K
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 25, 2021
Randle earned his first All-Star appearance this season in his seventh NBA season while leading the Knicks to a 41-31 regular season, good for fourth best in the Eastern Conference.
Here is a comparison of Randle’s number over the last two season:
2019-20: 32.5 minutes per game, 19.5 points per game, 46.0 percent field goal shooting, 27.7 percent 3-point shooting, 9.7 rebounds per game, 3.1 assists per game
2020-21: 37.6 minutes per game, 24.1 points per game, 45.6 percent field goal shooting, 41.1 percent 3-point shooting, 10.2 rebounds per game, 6.0 assists per game
As the season progressed, Randle saw the offense go through him more and more.
Now New York has a star and he wants to remain here.
It has been a while, but it feels good to say that New York is back.