Former men's basketball standout and current Orlando Magic star Ryan Anderson has been honored as the NBA's Most Improved Player, the association announced today.

In his fourth season since the former Golden Bear was drafted 21st overall in the 2008 draft, Anderson, started 61 of 66 games during the regular season where he averaged career highs in points (16.1) and rebounds (7.7). He came into the season with a career average of 8.6 points per game.

Anderson led the NBA in 3-pointers made (166) and attempted (422). He joins Rashard Lewis as the only other power forward to lead the league in 3-pointers made.

Anderson received 260 of a possible 605 points, including 33 first-place votes from a panel of 121 sports writers and broadcasters in the U.S. and Canada. Milwaukee's Ersan Ilyasova (159 points, 21 first-place votes) finished second and Minnesota's Nikola Pekovic (104 points, 10 first-place votes) was third.

"It's very surreal for me to be sitting where I am today," Anderson said. "A year ago if you would have said I would be the Most Improved Player, I'd probably laugh at you in the face. This year has just been a culmination of a lot of different things and a lot of different people helping me."

"To be honest, the bigger thing that has improved is he's gotten more opportunity," Orlando Magic head coach Van Gundy said. "But he's also gotten stronger. ... Did I foresee this? I don't know. But I knew he could help us."

Anderson and his Orlando Magic team play game four of their NBA first-round playoff series with the Indiana Pacers on Saturday in Orlando with the Pacers holding a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven series.

You can read more about Anderson's stellar season from OrlandoMagic.com writer John Denton here.

Earlier this season, we talked to Anderson when he we was in town to play the Golden State Warriors. Click here to watch our feature on the NBA's Most Improved Player.