The NBA Rookie of the Year odds are probably getting looked at a lot this week. NBA Summer League is in full swing, and many of the rookies from this year’s class are on full display. For bettors, last year’s NBA Rookie of the Year odds were boring. Victor Wembanyama was the overwhelming favorite, and a bet on anyone else was a huge longshot. This year is the exact opposite. The race is wide open. Here is a first look at the favorites, value picks, and stayaways.
Note: All odds are courtesy of DraftKings and are subject to change.
NBA Rookie Of The Year Odds: The Favorites
Memphis Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey has the best odds currently at +600. He is followed by the number one overall pick, Zacharie Risacher, at +700. Houston Rockets sharpshooter Reed Sheppard and second-overall pick Alexander Sarr round out the top four at +800 and +850, respectively. It is a bit of a surprise to see Edey with the best odds. While he is slated to start, he will not be the focal point of the team.
Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane will all be better scoring options. Where he could excel is in defense and rebounding, but that usually isn’t enough to win this award. Based on the Summer League performances, Reed Sheppard might be the pick amongst the favorites. If he keeps shooting like he has in the Summer League, he could see a lot of playing time for the young, upstart Rockets.
Value Picks
This year’s NBA Rookie of the Year odds have many good value picks. The race is wide open, so there is a world where many players could win the award. There are two players that have the best value. The first is Utah Jazz rookie Isaiah Collier, who is at +6000 right now. He is a former top-ranked recruit and is on a team that is still rebuilding. It seems likely he could get lots of playing time and he has shown he can fill the stat sheet. If no one else impresses, Collier has the talent necessary to win the award.
The other one is probably less of a long shot. Rob Dillingham is currently at +1700 and was brought in to the Minnesota Timberwolves to provide one thing: scoring. Putting up scoring numbers is definitely a good thing when trying to win most of the major awards. Furthermore, he will be on a good team and should get a lot of national attention if he is playing well.
Stayaways
There’s only one that needs to be talked about. Ultimately, you can make a case for any other player to win the award for me except Bronny James. His odds are currently at +25000 on DraftKings. There has been noise that many people are betting him to win the award. It isn’t happening. His game is not up to the level of winning the award. He has good aspects to his game. Bronny shows good energy and instincts. He will be a solid role player in this league.
Don’t waste your money on this bet. Long shots are fun, but this one is just a stayaway. Don’t get caught up in all the hype. Don’t let NBA conspiracy theorists convince you the league is rigging the award for LeBron’s son. He is going to be the eighth guy on the Lakers and play 15 minutes a game. Put your money elsewhere.
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