Milwaukee Bucks rising star Ryan Rollins is turning a lot of heads in the 2025-26 NBA season. He has made a lot of people into believers in his abilities on the court, as he continues to have a breakout season with Milwaukee.
Even Philadelphia 76ers star guard Tyrese Maxey is convinced of Rollins’ game.
While talking to former NBA guard Austin Rivers, Maxey gave Rollins his flowers, believing that the former Toledo Rockets star should be the frontrunner for the 2025-26 NBA Most Improved Player Award.
“I think right now Ryan Rollins should be the leader — I don’t know who he is — but he is doing so good,” Maxey said.
Tyrese Maxey says Ryan Rollins should be Most Improved Player pic.twitter.com/IeqNC5aXWX
— Nathan Marzion (@nathanmarzion) January 2, 2026
Bucks’ Rollins gets his flowers from former MIP winner
Maxey surely has an idea about what he was talking about. After all, he was the NBA Most Improved Player Award winner for the 2023-24 season, when he also earned his first All-Star nod. That season, he averaged 25.9 points, 6.2 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game.
Rollins has assumed an expanded role for the Bucks. With Damian Lillard gone in Milwaukee, Rollins has stepped up and has gone from averaging just 6.2 points per game last season to 17.4 points per outing through his first 35 games in the 2025-26 NBA campaign.
Maxey has also witnessed firsthand twice the incredible work of Rollins on the court this season. In two meetings with the 76ers this campaign, Rollins averaged 24.0 points on a 48.7 percent shooting from the field and 40.0 percent shooting from behind the arc.
Rollins signed a three-year contract worth $12 million with Milwaukee in July.
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