NBA Most Improved Player odds: Can anyone catch Ja Morant?

Ja Morant has elevated his game from fringe star to potential MVP candidate in just one season. He's on track to earn a different trophy for his efforts.

The Grizzlies star is even money to win the NBA's Most Improved Player award amid a third-year breakout that rivals any we've seen in recent campaigns. Entering Thursday, he ranked among the league leaders in points (25.1), assists (6.7), and steals (1.4) per game.

The only other player to reach those marks this season is reigning MVP Nikola Jokic. While Morant is likely a year or two away from that upper echelon, he's ranked seventh in MVP odds (+4500), just ahead of preseason favorite Luka Doncic (+5000) as of Thursday.

Morant's made the greatest leap among the league's top 30 scorers, posting six more points per game than last campaign. He's improved across the board, upping his shooting percentage at the rim, beyond the arc, and at the stripe despite a career-high 19.1 field-goal attempts per game. His turnover rate (12.5%) has cratered even with the NBA's ninth-highest usage rate (32.1%).

As we broke down in detail in early October, higher usage and better shooting efficiency are hallmarks of past winners. It's a key reason why 11 of the last 15 recipients have been primary ball-handlers (many were also high-level passers).

It's not just about his stat line, either. Morant's superstar turn has been a catalyst for the Grizzlies' 25-14 start, which slots them as the Western Conference's current No. 4 seed. Since Nov. 28, Memphis has a stellar 16-4 record and the NBA's best net rating (plus-12.6), though Morant was sidelined for 12 of those games.

He's certainly made his time on the court count, producing an array of highlight dunks and game-winning shots. On Dec. 27, he hit a near-impossible shot to beat the buzzer against the Suns, who owned the top spot in the Western Conference before that loss. Eight days later, he produced a similarly ridiculous shot and subsequent steal to down the Cavaliers and extend the Grizzlies' win streak to six ahead of Thursday's tilt versus the Pistons.

This race isn't wrapped up, though. Hornets forward Miles Bridges (19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds) has seen an even greater improvement in scoring and punctuated his candidacy with plenty of rim-rockers, too. Spurs guard Dejounte Murray - who was our favorite preseason bet to win the award - has also been a revelation in a leading role for San Antonio, which has clawed its way into the Western Conference's playoff bubble.

Still, Morant is playing at a different level - and he's the face of arguably the league's biggest surprise team, adding another layer to his MIP campaign. If he keeps hitting acrobatic buzzer-beaters to complement his already gaudy box-score numbers, he'll leave no doubt in voters' minds - and perhaps not just for this award, either.

C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at [email protected].