It seemed like a forgone conclusion San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama would win Rookie of the Year the moment he was taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. While his start to the 2023-24 season hasn’t been smooth, there might not be much competition for Wembanyama when it comes to the top rookie. Here’s a look at the odds to win the honor at DraftKings Sportsbook.
NBA Rookie of the Year odds
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Despite his perimeter shooting woes, Wembanyama is averaging 19.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while hitting 44.7% of his shots overall. That’s not bad for a rookie, and certainly not going to dissuade voters from backing him even if he isn’t leading the Spurs to wins. However, he is going to have some competition despite being the overwhelming favorite to win.
Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren, who missed all of last year due to a foot injury, is technically in his rookie season. He’s averaging 16.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, but the big difference between him and Wembanyama is the 55/5089.5 shooting splits. Another difference is the Thunder actually contending for a playoff spot, which will give Holmgren a bigger profile. He’s still considered a longshot runner-up at +350, but it might be time to get on board now before voters start coming around.