Tyrese Maxey wins NBA's Most Improved Player award

76ers all-star guard Tyrese Maxey, after averaging 25.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists during a breakout 2023-24 season, has been named the winner of the NBA's Most Improved Player award.

Maxey beat out Chicago Bulls guard Coby White and Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun for the honor.

"Congratulations, Tyrese! The Most Improved Player award is a testament to your incredible work ethic including countless early mornings in the gym perfecting your craft,” said Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey in a press release issued by the NBA. “Your journey to All-Star in just your fourth season is inspirational to everyone who watches you play. Your dedication to continuous improvement and excellence has you on the path from MIP to MVP.”

Sports world reacts to Tyrese Maxey's MIP award

The reaction on social media to Maxey's award is what one would expect for the well-liked University of Kentucky product.

Maxey played for the Kentucky Wildcats during the 2019-2020 season.

The Kentucky men's basketball team was among the first to congratulate Maxey on social media:

The NBA posted a Maxey highlight reel on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter:

Sports outlet Bleacher Report posted that "Maxey took a leap in year 4," noting how Maxey had to step up after the James Harden trade, earned his first all-star game nomination and had career highs in points and assists.

Bleacher Report then followed up that post with another Maxey shoutout on X.

"Tyrese Maxey wins Most Improved Player," read Bleacher Report's followup post. "Just the beginning for the Sixers' star."

NBCSports Philadelphia anchor John Clark also posted on X regarding Maxey's no-doubt win.

"Tyrese Maxey," read Clark's post, "Of course wins the NBA most improved player of the year award."

In one of its posts on X regarding Maxey's win, the 76ers simply crowned Maxey as "The best of the best."

The pre- and postgame show "NBA on TNT" also congratulated Maxey in a post on its Facebook page:

The NBA also posted a lengthy highlight reel on YouTube of Maxey's highlights from the just-concluded regular season:

The International Basketball Federation - FIBA - also took to X to congratulate Maxey, who starred for the federation in the 18-year-old league. FIBA also posted highlights of Maxey's run with the federation.

"Winding back the clock," read portion of FIBA's post, "To when Tyrese Maxey, Most Improved Player of the year, balled out with USA at the FIBA Under 18 Americas."

Analysis: Maxey wins NBA's MIP award: Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey named NBA's Most Improved Player after All-Star season

Maxey, Joel Embiid locked in bruising series against New York Knicks

Maxey winning the league's Most Improved Player award is perhaps the only silver lining so far on a dark cloud surrounding the Sixers, which trail the New York Knicks, 2-0, in their best-of-seven, first round series against the Knicks.

After losing the first two games of the series in Madison Square Garden — the second loss eliciting a NSFW response from Embiid and which also triggered Sixers' leadership to launch an official grievance with the NBA — the series shifts to Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia on Thursday.

Sixers' fans became further incensed with the NBA and its officiating when the league released its Last Two Minute Report, which listed numerous crucial officiating errors that doomed the Sixers in game 2.

NBA: bad officiating led to Sixers loss: NBA acknowledges officiating errors, missed foul calls in Knicks' win over 76ers

Game 3 of the Knicks-Sixers series will tip off at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, from the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia.

Damon C. Williams covers trending and regional developments for PhillyBurbs.com. Support our journalism with a subscription.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey brings home Most Improved Player hardware