Yesterday, we noted that Chet Holmgren‘s odds were falling following a report that he injured his foot, and today he’s off the board entirely. A Lisfranc injury will cost the Oklahoma City Thunder big man his first season in the NBA.
This is a blow for the Thunder, who have built a solid nucleus of young talent, and it’s a bummer for those that felt good about their Holmgren Rookie of the Year tickets, including us.
Before we get to the updated odds and our pick, we should applaud DraftKings for leading the charge in refunding those that bet on the former Gonzaga star to win Rookie of the Year.
With money back in accounts, let’s look at our options.
Top 10 Favorites for NBA Rookie of the Year
Odds via DraftKings.
- Paolo Banchero +200
- Keegan Murray +450
- Jaden Ivey +700
- Jabari Smith +700
- Bennedict Mathurin +1000
- Shaedon Sharpe +1800
- Dyson Daniels +2000
- Johnny Davis +2500
- Ousmane Dieng +2500
- Jaden Hardy +3000
First overall pick Paolo Banchero is the favorite at +200, and should have a big role for the Orlando Magic right out the gates.
The biggest moves since the last time we checked are Keegan Murray and Jabari Smith. Murray was once +1000, but since winning Summer League MVP with the Sacramento Kings, people are buying into the forward.
Jabari Smith was once thought of as the first overall pick, ultimately falling to third and Houston.
Our pick: Jaden Ivey +700
We’re looking to find us a rookie who is slated to start for their team, and guard Jaden Ivey figures to join second-year budding star Cade Cunningham to form quite the intriguing backcourt in Detroit.
Ivey, a shooting guard, played two years at Purdue. He pairs well with Cunningham, with a scoring punch that should help boost this Detroit team out the gates. He averaged 17.3 points per game last year for the Boilermakers, and is looking to be the latest Pistons prospect to make an All-Rookie team.
Detroit is a team to watch with these young pieces, and Ivey could be the player to lift this team out of the lottery. 30 minutes per game could be on the table, which should help bring with it solid statistics.
At +700, we like where Ivey’s ceiling can be this season. He’s our bet for Rookie of the Year.
