Today's poll: Most Improved Player
Previous poll: Sixth Man of the Year

Gilbert Arenas • Golden State YEAR G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2002-03 77 77 34.8 .436 .349 .789 4.7 6.2 1.53 0.21 18.1 2001-02 47 30 24.6 .453 .345 .775 2.8 3.7 1.47 0.23 10.9 Gilbert Arenas Noren Trotman/NBAE/Getty Images Second-year Warriors guard Gilbert Arenas showed considerable promise in the 30 games he started last season, and he made an immediate impact for Golden State in 2002-03. In November, he averaged more than 40 minutes per game and was one of only a handful of players posting more than 16 points, six rebounds and seven assists. After the team acquired Earl Boykins to play backup point guard in December, Arenas's playing time was reduced and his performances became inconsistent, but he adjusted to the new rotation, and continued to improve. Arenas had his most impressive month of the year in March, when he averaged 23.0 points (shooting .400 from three-point range), 4.6 boards and 6.1 assists. Matt Harpring • Utah YEAR G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2002-03 73 64 33.1 .511 .414 .801 6.7 1.7 0.97 0.22 17.7 2001-02 81 81 31.4 .461 .304 .743 7.1 1.3 0.86 0.06 11.8 Matt Harpring Jeff Reinking/NBAE/Getty Images Before 2001-02, Matt Harpring -- due to injuries and the lockout -- had never played more than 56 games in a season. He stayed healthy during his one season in Philadelphia, though, started 81 games and at 11 points and seven boards per game, appeared on his way to being a quality role player in the NBA. Then he signed with Utah. Immediately finding his comfort zone within the Jazz offense, Harpring has knocked down shots with remarkable efficiency in his fifth year. He is the only small forward in the league to rank among the top 10 in both field-goal percentage (.511) and three-point percentage (.414) -- both career-highs -- and is also setting personal bests in scoring, assists and steals. Richard Jefferson • New Jersey YEAR G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2002-03 75 75 36.0 .503 .227 .735 6.5 2.6 1.04 0.59 15.5 2001-02 79 9 24.3 .457 .232 .713 3.7 1.8 0.81 0.61 9.4 Richard Jefferson Bill Baptist/NBAE/Getty Images The Nets knew when they traded Keith Van Horn to Philadelphia that Richard Jefferson was ready for a starting role with the defending Eastern Conference champs. In his rookie year, Jefferson had provided explosiveness and atheleticism off the bench, but as a full-time starter in 2002-03, he has exceeded expectations -- particularly offensively -- where his .503 field-goal percentage ranks 12th in the NBA, second only to Matt Harpring among small forwards. Jefferson has also upped his scoring and rebounding dramatically, from 9.4 points and 3.7 boards last year to 15.5 and 6.5 this season, and as the year has progressed, his play has become well-rounded; in March, he averaged 16.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and a season-high 3.4 assists. Troy Murphy • Golden State YEAR G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2002-03 75 75 31.8 .451 .214 .843 10.1 1.4 0.84 0.35 11.7 2001-02 82 4 17.7 .421 .333 .776 3.9 0.9 0.44 0.26 5.9 Troy Murphy Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty Images After unexpectedly beating out incumbent Danny Fortson in the preseason for the power forward job, Troy Murphy became the third second-year player -- along with Gilbert Arenas and Jason Richardson -- in the Warriors' starting lineup. Now he's one of only six players in the league averaging more than 10 rebounds, ranking just behind the 2001-02 Most Improved Player, Jermaine O'Neal, and his 10.1 boards per game are tops on the NBA's best rebounding team. Shooting better than 45 percent from the field, Murphy has increased his scoring 11.7 points per game, and his .843 free-throw percentage is second to Atlanta's Shareef Abdur-Rahim among NBA power forwards. He also ranks ninth in double-doubles with 35 thus far on the season. Tony Parker • San Antonio YEAR G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2002-03 77 77 34.1 .464 .351 .750 2.7 5.4 0.86 0.05 15.5 2001-02 77 72 29.4 .419 .323 .675 2.6 4.3 1.16 0.09 9.2 Tony Parker D. Clarke Evans/NBAE/Getty Images Spurs guard Tony Parker, another second-year player, is beginning to understand the way he can impact a game with his speed. Time after time this season, Parker has kept opposing defenses off balance, his quickness in darting to the rim contrasting and complementing Tim Duncan's methodical inside game. Parker has bettered all of his shooting percentages (field-goal, free-throw and three-point) compared to last year, and his improved scoring and passing -- from 9.2 points and 4.3 assists in 2001-02 to 15.5 points and 5.4 assists this year -- have made him a legitimate second option on a team that is vying for the NBA's best record. Other Nominees Malik Allen • Miami YEAR G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2002-03 76 69 29.3 .423 .000 .800 5.4 0.7 0.49 1.01 9.7 2001-02 12 2 13.4 .431 .000 .800 3.2 0.4 0.25 0.67 4.3 Troy Hudson • Minnesota YEAR G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2002-03 75 70 33.0 .430 .371 .907 2.3 5.6 0.72 0.09 14.5 2001-02 81 4 22.9 .434 .353 .876 1.8 3.1 0.70 0.07 11.7 Rasho Nesterovic • Minnesota YEAR G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2002-03 73 73 30.5 .525 .000 .640 6.5 1.5 0.51 1.48 11.3 2001-02 82 82 27.0 .493 .000 .549 6.5 0.9 0.55 1.33 8.4 Zach Randolph • Portland YEAR G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2002-03 71 8 16.5 .511 .000 .773 4.2 0.5 0.52 0.17 8.0 2001-02 41 0 5.8 .449 .000 .667 1.7 0.3 0.17 0.10 2.8 Michael Redd • Milwaukee YEAR G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2002-03 78 14 28.2 .471 .444 .809 4.5 1.4 1.21 0.15 15.3 2001-02 67 8 21.1 .483 .444 .791 3.3 1.4 0.63 0.10 11.4