The New Orleans Pelicans forward, Brandon Ingram has been named the 2019-20 Kia NBA Most Improved Player.
Ingram, who received 42 first-place votes from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters and earned 326 total points, edged Miami Heat's, Bam Adebayo and Dallas Mavericks, Luka Dončić.
Ingram's parents notified him of winning the award, while on a call with Pelicans owner Gayle Benson and teammate Lonzo Ball.
"First I want to say to God be the glory, without him I wouldn't be healthy," Ingram said.
“I was ready for it… I just wanted to put in my work every single day.” 💪@B_Ingram13 after winning the #KiaMIP award. pic.twitter.com/AoqHPVZfgz
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) August 31, 2020
Your 2020 Most Improved Player is Brandon Ingram 💪
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 31, 2020
2018-2019 season: 18.3 PPG | 5.1 RPG | 3 APG |
2019-2020 season: 23.8 PPG | 6.1 RPG | 4.2 APG | First time All-Star 🌟 pic.twitter.com/rjWnLXRbAp
The 22 year-old set career highs in points (23.8), rebounds (6.1), assists (4.2) and steals per game (1.0), along with 3-point percentage (39.1) and free throw percentage (85.1) in his first season in New Orleans. He was also named as an All-Star Game reserve in Chicago.
Let's not forget he was traded to the Pelicans along with Josh Hart, Lonzo Ball and draft picks in exchange for Anthony Davis last summer.
So far, the NBA has named Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse its coach of the year and Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo its defensive player of the year. The three awards remain are Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year.