NBA award picks: Nikola Jokic is MVP, Victor Wembanyama is Rookie of the Year

1. Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

2. Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder

3. Coby White, Chicago Bulls

With Antetokounmpo, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, Ja Morant and Lauri Markkanen receiving the most awards as improved players over the past decade, the award has become a ticket to the Welcome to the Stars club. Maxey (25.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.3 APG) fits this profile perfectly. After breaking out in his third season and assuming the lead guard role following Philadelphia's trade of James Harden, the 2020 first-round pick posted career highs across the board and formed one of the league's most explosive inside-outside duos with Embiid . Although his scoring efficiency suffered a predictable decline due to his increased volume, Maxey earned his first All-Star selection and did his best to keep the 76ers afloat during Embiid's absence. The 76ers loom as a potential spoilsport in the East – a No. 3 or No. 4 seed posing as a likely play-in team. Whichever favorite draws, Philadelphia will have to deal with Embiid and Maxey, who pose scoring threats in transition, off the edge of the dribble and from beyond the arc.

Williams (19.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.6 APG), last year's rookie of the year runner-up, made a big jump as a sophomore. The 2022 lottery pick has enough all-around offensive game to function as a team's leading scorer, but his true value comes from his willingness to serve as a lethal secondary scorer and playmaker alongside Gilgeous-Alexander.

While Maxey and Williams were popular preseason picks, White (19.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 5.2 APG) came out of nowhere. The 2019 lottery pick made the most of his expanded role following Zach LaVine's season-ending foot injury, nearly doubling his scoring average and helping keep the mediocre Bulls from completely collapsing midseason.