How many NBA teams have had someone win Most Improved Player?

Having been awarded for 40 years, the NBA’s Most Improved Player award seeks to honor an up-and-coming star – with many winners adding plenty more to their resumes after taking home the trophy.

The second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs is officially here, and it comes on the heels of a historic first round that saw two teams overcome 3-1 deficits – with the Philadelphia 76ers rallying back over the rival Boston Celtics while the Detroit Pistons avoided a massive upset against the Orlando Magic in their comeback.

While any given NBA team’s success is often heavily linked to how well their top player does, teams can often surprise their opponent when a rising star takes center stage and elevates their club.

The Celtics experienced this firsthand in the first round of this year’s postseason, when former Most Improved Player winner Tyrese Maxey put the finishing touches on Game 7 of the series after Joel Embiid, a former MVP himself, had overwhelmed Boston through much of the game.

Initially awarded after the 1985-86 season, the Most Improved Player had quite open-ended criteria at first, but is now designated as the award that goes to the player with the “greatest improvement in playing ability” throughout an NBA regular season. With this established, no player has ever won the award more than once.

The all-time winners range from formidable bench players and overlooked starters on good teams to rising players that went on to become All-Stars – with Giannis Antetokounmpo serving as the only winner of the award to go on to win an MVP.

As of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, 13 of the last 16 winners of the award remain active in the league, while Tracy McGrady remains the only MIP winner to go on to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The 2025-26 season marked the second consecutive year, and third overall, that an Atlanta Hawks player has won the award, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker following up on Dyson Daniels’ win of the award for the 2024-25 campaign. The two players join Alan Henderson, who won MIP in 1997-98, as the only Hawks to take home the accolade.

After this season, 22 of the NBA’s 30 teams have had a player win the award at least once – with the Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic both leading the way with five wins apiece.

The following clubs have never had a player win Most Improved Player:

1. Brooklyn Nets
2. Los Angeles Lakers
3. Boston Celtics
4. Dallas Mavericks
5. Charlotte Hornets
6. Cleveland Cavaliers
7. Detroit Pistons
8. Sacramento Kings

Here’s a look at the last time each of the other 22 teams had a player win the award, beginning with the most recent occurrences:

1. Atlanta Hawks: 2025-26, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
2. Philadelphia 76ers: 2023-24, Tyrese Maxey
3. Utah Jazz: 2022-23, Lauri Markkanen
4. Memphis Grizzlies: 2021-22, Ja Morant
5. New York Knicks: 2020-21, Julius Randle
6. New Orleans Pelicans: 2019-20, Brandon Ingram
7. Toronto Raptors: 2018-19, Pascal Siakam
8. Indiana Pacers: 2017-18, Victor Oladipo
9. Milwaukee Bucks: 2016-17, Giannis Antetokounmpo
10. Portland Trail Blazers: 2015-16, CJ McCollum
11. Chicago Bulls: 2014-15, Jimmy Butler
12. Phoenix Suns: 2013-14, Goran Dragic
13. Orlando Magic: 2011-12, Ryan Anderson
14. Minnesota Timberwolves: 2010-11, Kevin Love
15. Houston Rockets: 2009-10, Aaron Brooks
16. Golden State Warriors: 2006-07, Monta Ellis
17. Los Angeles Clippers: 2004-05, Bobby Simmons
18. Miami Heat: 1996-97, Isaac Austin
19. Washington Wizards: 1995-96, Gheorghe Mureșan*
20. Denver Nuggets: 1992-93, Chris Jackson
21. Oklahoma City Thunder: 1986-87, Dale Ellis**
22. San Antonio Spurs: 1985-86, Alvin Robertson

*team was known as the Washington Bullets at the time
**team was known as the Seattle SuperSonics at the time