Raptors' Siakam caps season with NBA's most-improved award

Raptors' Pascal Siakam accepts the Kia NBA Most Improved Player Award onstage during the 2019 NBA Awards presented by Kia at Barker Hangar on June 24, 2019 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Turner Sports)

After the Raptors’ magical run to the franchise’s first NBA championship, it had another team-first last night: A most-improved player award.

Third-year forward Pascal Siakam captured the honour at Monday night’s NBA awards show after a season in which he was a borderline all-star.

Siakam improved his per-game averages in points (7.3-16.9), rebounds (4.5-6.9) and assists (2.0-3.1) while also raising his shooting percentage 41 points and his three-point percentage from .220 to .369.

Last year’s recipient of the MIP award, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, upped his play again, winning the MVP trophy.

Other winners on the night were Atlanta’s Trae Young for rookie of the year, L.A. Clippers’ Lou Williams repeated as sixth man of the year, Milwaukee’s Mike Budenholzer was named coach of the year, Utah’s Rudy Gobert upset Antetokounmpo to win defensive player of the year while Memphis guard Mike Conley – whose trade to Utah is pending – won the Sportsmanship award and Teammate of the year.