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Blazers Season Awards: Most Improved Player

By Spencer Gordon

Mar 9, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic (27) reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers during the overtime at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic (27) reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers during the overtime at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 28, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic (27) posts up against Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler (21) during the fourth quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic (27) posts up against Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler (21) during the fourth quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /

With the Season Over, it’s time to start recapping the roller coaster that was the 2016/17 NBA Season. Although it was rough at times, the Blazers still made the playoffs thanks to another late season surge.

Without further ado, time to award the Most Improved Player of the Season: Jusuf Nurkic

When it comes to improvement over the year, there is no question where the Blazers really turned on the jets. It was the signing of the Bosnian Beast.

Not only did the Blazers improve dramatically once Nurkic arrived in Portland, but Nurkic only brought an otherwise untested skill set from Denver. Once wearing the red and black, he became a star practically overnight.

If you compare the stats (per basketball reference) to before he was a Blazer and after, there is no question that Nurkic improved.

Denver: 8.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.8 blocks.

Portland: 15.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 blocks.

Nurkic coming to Portland was such a blessing for the Bosnian. Denver saw him as a clogging post presence with their center of the future Nikola Jokic, while Portland saw him as a franchise changer.