For many, the Rookie of the Year award for the 2023-24 season felt like a foregone conclusion. Spurs No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama entered the year as a heavy favorite to win the honor and has remained at the top of the odds table, but a contender is gaining some ground early. Here’s a look a the latest odds for NBA Rookie of the Year courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
NBA Rookie of the Year odds
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That contender is Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren, who is playing excellent all-around basketball on a team likely to make the playoffs. Holmgren got the better of Wembanyama from a team standpoint, but the individual lines were not that different. Holmgren had nine points, seven rebounds, three rebounds and two steals while Wemby tallied eight points, 14 rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
The Thunder big is still somewhat of a longshot at +250, especially since his scoring average is unlikely to take a big jump with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the team. Wembanyama is probably still the best bet here, although it might be worth waiting to see if the gap between him and Holmgren closes even further.