Deni Avdija’s Breakout Season Has Him in the MIP Driver’s Seat - and the League’s Elite Company
We’re just a quarter into the NBA season, and Deni Avdija is already forcing the league to take a long, hard look at what he’s become - not just a better player, but a different one. The Portland Trail Blazers forward has been named the NBA’s Most Improved Player so far this season by national analyst Michael Pina in his First-Quarter Awards, and it’s hard to argue with the pick.
Now in his sixth year, Avdija is putting up career highs across the board: 25.8 points, 6.1 assists, and 7.1 rebounds per game. That’s not just a nice bump - that’s a full-on leap.
He’s gone from a solid role player to the focal point of Portland’s offense, and the numbers back it up. Only three other players in the entire league are averaging at least 25 points, seven boards, and six dimes: Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
That’s MVP-caliber company, and Avdija is right there with them.
But it’s not just about the box score. What’s turning heads around the league is how Avdija is doing it - with downhill force and a relentless attacking mentality that’s become nearly impossible to game plan for.
He currently leads the NBA in drives per game, and it’s not just volume - it’s effectiveness. He’s getting to his spots with his right hand almost at will, and defenders haven’t found an answer.
This isn’t just a player figuring it out - it’s a player solving NBA defenses in real time. His rip-through move has become one of the most difficult actions to guard this season. It’s not quite vintage James Harden or DeMar DeRozan, but the way Avdija is manipulating defenders and creating space is in that same mold - a sign of a player who’s not just reacting to the defense, but dictating terms.
And here’s the kicker: he’s doing all this without the benefit of elite floor spacing around him. Portland’s roster isn’t exactly packed with knockdown shooters, which makes Avdija’s efficiency and playmaking even more impressive. He’s not just thriving - he’s carrying a good chunk of the offensive load, and doing it efficiently.
Pina also gave honorable mentions for Most Improved to Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins, Detroit’s Jalen Duren, and Brooklyn’s Michael Porter Jr., but emphasized that none have made the kind of leap Avdija has. And he’s right - this is the kind of jump that turns heads in front offices across the league.
Avdija’s rise is also a win for Portland. He’s gone from being a valuable contract and a high-level complementary piece to an All-Star-level engine - the kind of player you can build around, not just build with.
Elsewhere in the First-Quarter Awards, Nikola Jokic earned MVP honors, Charlotte rookie Kon Knueppel was named Rookie of the Quarter, and Victor Wembanyama - already making his defensive presence felt in a big way - took home Defensive Player of the Quarter. Miami’s Erik Spoelstra was recognized as Coach of the Quarter, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. was tapped as the Sixth Man of the Quarter.
Portland’s Jerami Grant also got a nod as an honorable mention for Sixth Man, though he’s since moved into the starting lineup due to injuries. Whether he remains eligible for that award moving forward will depend on how the rest of the season unfolds, but it’s another sign that the Blazers - even in a transitional year - are finding pieces that can contribute in meaningful ways.
But make no mistake: this first quarter has been all about Deni Avdija. He’s not just improved - he’s arrived.