Tale of the Tape - Macdonald's Most Improved Player season

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Sean Macdonald managed to go one step further in NBL24 by taking home the NBL's Most Improved Player award.

The Tasmania JackJumpers were one of two clubs to enter NBL24 without a Next Star in their ranks. According to head coach Scott Roth, development player Sean Macdonald was the club’s equivalent to a Next Star, and the combo guard has paid his club’s investment in him back in spades.

Macdonald’s breakout campaign came in NBL23, but despite still holding the title of a development player in NBL24, he was immediately thrust into a crucial backup role on the JackJumpers bench. He started one game for the season and was also nominated for the Best Sixth Man award, such was his impact.

Given Tasmania’s short time in the NBL, Macdonald is the first JackJumper to ever be named the NBL’s Most Improved Player, however current teammates Clint Steindl (2016) and Will Magnay (2020) are both previous recipients.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Reaching new heights ?<br><br>Sean Macdonald has been named as the NBL24 Most Improved Player ?<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheGazeys?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheGazeys</a> live on the NBL website & app ? <a href="https://t.co/NDl9q5tCW6">pic.twitter.com/NDl9q5tCW6</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1759504887669506159?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

His victory came after he was nominated for last season’s Most Improved Player award alongside Will McDowell-White and Keanu Pinder, however it was Pinder who was named the NBL23 award winner.

The improvement Macdonald showed across the season wasn’t necessarily reflected by a large increase in his season-on-season numbers. Yes, he did increase his points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals per game numbers, but the biggest difference in his game was his level of poise and ability to make the correct decision.

When compared to NBL23, Macdonald improved his shooting splits from 40.5/36.4/61.1 to 44.9/46.8/66.7, and that three-point percentage of 46.8 was the second best in the NBL of anyone to have taken at least 20 three-point attempts in the regular season, behind only Clint Steindl.

He also showcased the ability to take over games from each guard position. He scored 15 points in Tasmania’s 35-point smashing of the Adelaide 36ers in Round 9, and he put the 36ers to the sword again in Round 18 with 14 points.

He also came within touching distance of a first career double-double when he registered eight points, nine rebounds and four assists in a one-point loss to New Zealand.

The greatest indicator of Macdonald’s new status as a genuine game-changer at NBL level, as opposed to an exciting, raw talent came in Tasmania’s Round 13 defeat to New Zealand.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sean MacDonald drains his ????? triple of the ball game ?<br><br>The man is having a career night ?<br><br>Catch the action live on ESPN2 via Kayo | Sky Sport 2 in NZ ? <a href="https://t.co/dhyggYXcTY">pic.twitter.com/dhyggYXcTY</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1741709771764355462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

He scored a team-high 23 points and hit seven of nine three-point attempts to keep Tasmania in contention against a red-hot Breakers side.

The JackJumpers ended the game with a five-point defeat, but that was the game in which Macdonald announced himself as the latest prospect in an emerging class of young sharpshooters.

He’s set to finally take his position on Tasmania’s main roster in NBL24, and it wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility to witness Macdonald achieve the same feat as Pinder last season, and take home back-to-back Most Improved Player awards, such is the faith Scott Roth has in him, and such is the improvement he’s made over the past two campaigns.

Past Most Improved Winners:

2024 – Sean Macdonald (Tasmania JackJumpers)
2023 – Keanu Pinder (Cairns Taipans)
2022 – Keanu Pinder (Cairns Taipans)
2021 – Sam Froling (Illawarra Hawks)
2020 – Will Magnay (Brisbane Bullets)

Multiple winners:

2- Keanu Pinder