New York Knicks: 5 Reasons Brandon Jennings Can Win Most Improved Player

New York Knicks point guard Brandon Jennings is a frontrunner for Sixth Man of the Year. He should also be a frontrunner for Most Improved Player.

Sep 26, 2016; White Plains, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Brandon Jennings addresses the media during the New York Knicks Media Day at Ritz-Carlton. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

New York Knicks team president Phil Jackson has challenged Brandon Jennings to win the Sixth Man of the Year award. That’s an admirable and realistic goal for a career starter turned backup who has something to prove.

Though the Sixth Man of the Year award is a realistic goal, it’s not the only accolade that Jennings could win in 2016-17.

Jennings is entering his eighth NBA season. He spent his first four seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, played 144 games for the Detroit Pistons, and appeared in 25 games with the Orlando Magic.

One of his former teammates, All-NBA center Andre Drummond, believes Jennings will win more than just Sixth Man of the Year in 2016-17.

That isn’t as blasphemous a belief as it may seem.

Jennings is a legitimate candidate for the Most Improved Player award. That would put him in revered territory, as a vast majority of the most recent award winners are household names or decorated players.

Jennings could join soon join the star-caliber players who have won Most Improved Player.

Four of the past six players to win the award have made at least one All-Star Game or All-NBA appearance. Kevin Love is a two-time All-NBA honoree, Paul George has earned three All-NBA selections, Goran Dragic has one All-NBA nod, and Jimmy Butler is a two-time All-Star.

The question is: can Jennings win Most Improved Player and Sixth Man of the Year award in 2016-17? It’s more likely than it may seem.

Oct 8, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard Brandon Jennings (3) drives to the basket defended by Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

5. Major Market Hype

The best thing that’s happened to Brandon Jennings’ NBA career has been his arrival in a major market. Though he has flaws, his strengths will finally be given their proper shine and respect due to his presence in New York.

New York Knicks players are almost always placed under a magnifying lens, which creates quite the opportunity for Jennings to earn accolades.

Players who excel in New York go onto careers with incomparable popularity. Whether it’s Jeremy Lin turning a 35-game stretch into global fame or Walt Frazier becoming the most recognizably stylish man in the NBA, this market is unlike any other.

Whether fair or foul, New York has an uncanny ability to take even the most mundane of stories and make them an international topic of conversation.

In the case of Jennings, his story will be plastered across the major media outlets. If he manages to complete his return from an achilles injury and become a star-caliber contributor again, it will be discussed at great length.

Very little can help a player more on the popularity front than having a major media market backing their campaign.

Feb 6, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Jennings (7) leaves the court on his crutches after the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons beat the Nuggets 98-88. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

4. The Injury

Brandon Jennings isn’t coming off of a common injury or an average season of inconsistency. Achilles tendon injuries have been the death sentence for many NBA players, and there’s no guaranteeing that Jennings will return to high-quality form.

See: Chauncey Billups, Elton Brand, Kobe Bryant, Voshon Leonard, Mehmet Okur, and Gerald Wilkins for prime examples of what an achilles injury can do to a player.

It’s often said in passing, but the severity of this injury is nothing to downplay or overlook. Jennings suffered a career-threatening rupture of his achilles tendon—an occurrence that has drastically altered his career.

Jennings has 416 career regular season starts and 11 postseason starts, yet he was forced to settle for a one-year deal worth $5 million during an offseason of free and irresponsible spending..

If Jennings manages to come back strong and perform at a high level, then it’d be impossible to leave his name out of this discussion. Most Improved Player isn’t Comeback Player of the Year, but that’s where 2015-16 comes into play.

Jennings was active for 48 games in 2015-16, which establishes the grounds for evaluating his improvement from a post-injury state.

Oct 10, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard Brandon Jennings (3) dribbles the ball during the third quarter against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks won 90-88. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

3. He Never Truly Made It

Throughout his first six NBA seasons, Brandon Jennings maintained a complex reputation. He was often heralded for what he was capable of achieving, but he never seemed to put it all together until directly before his injury.

If Jennings comes back with a blend of production, measurable value, and responsibility, it’d only be fair to say he’s improved.

Jennings has a career field goal percentage of .390. He’s only shot above 40 percent from the field in two of his seven NBA seasons, including 2011-12, when he averaged 19.1 points on a career-best 41.8 percent shooting.

Having established this, it’s entirely fair to say that, while he’s long been a fan favorite, Jennings has never really made it in the NBA.

Jennings has a 55-point game and a 21-assist outing, but he’s never scored with efficiency or earned the reputation of an elite facilitator. He’s played in 11 postseason games, but he’s never been a key contributor on a legitimate contender.

Though some may call this a comeback, Jennings has the benefit of having never truly realized his potential. He can win Most Improved Player if he does so in 2016-17.

Oct 10, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard Brandon Jennings (3) and Washington Wizards guard Casper Ware (17) exchanges words during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks won 90-88. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

2. The Narrative

Generally speaking, the Most Improved Player award goes to a player who hasn’t yet arrived as a star-caliber player. It’s rare that the award is handed to a player who’s coming off of an injury, especially when they’d established themselves at some point in the past.

The severity of Jennings’ injury has created quite the narrative, however, and it’s something that works in his favor on the Most Improved Player front.

Everyone loves a good comeback story, and there aren’t many more intriguing than that of a return from injury. The fact that his comeback coincides with the return of the Knicks as a postseason-caliber team certainly bares well for him.

The fact that he’d be playing a role in the resurrection of a dormant Knicks franchise won’t just help his Most Improved Player candidacy; it’d make him millions in free agency..

Between the injury, the market, and the franchise’s recent shortcomings, Jennings has the perfect opportunity to craft an award-winning narrative. A season of his best basketball would make him more than just a candidate; it’d likely transform him into the popular choice.

Whether or not he averages career-best numbers, Jennings has a chance to make the most significant impact of his career.

Oct 10, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard Brandon Jennings (3) shoots the ball over Washington Wizards center Ian Mahinmi (28) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks won 90-88. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

1. Starting From Rock Bottom

Simply put, Brandon Jennings is coming off of one of the worst seasons imaginable for an NBA player. He averaged just 6.9 points, 3.5 assists, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.1 3-point field goals in 18.1 minutes on a slash line of .368/.329/.731.

If Jennings plays like himself again, then the statistical improvements should be enough to give him a comfortable lead in the race for Most Improved Player.

Jennings’ inefficiency as a scorer and shooter, as well as his underwhelming statistics, create the potential for tremendous growth. Even playing at a quality level would be a severe upgrade over what he managed to do in 2015-16.

Jennings has the potential to get back to being one of the better point guards in the NBA, however, and that makes the award a fitting projection

Jennings has career averages of 15.5 points, 5.9 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.8 3-point field goals made in 32.1 minutes per game. Prior to the 2015-16 season, those numbers were 16.6 points, 6.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.9 3-point field goals made in 33.9 minutes.

Jennings could have the narrative, the major market hype, and the statistical improvement.

If he plays as well as he’s capable of playing, it’d be hard to argue against him.

More from Daily Knicks

This article originally appeared on