The NBA division races aren’t the only thing that is heating up now that the calendar has flipped to February. Individual awards races are also starting to get tight across the league, and there are some big awards handed out at the end of the season.
The Rookie of the Year Award is one of the most prestigious in the NBA, and there are always some great rookies in the league. That is the case again this season as well, but it appears that one player has started to pull away from the pack.
The betting odds for this award are announced as soon as the NBA Draft is complete, but they are constantly changing throughout the year. Here are the latest NBA Rookie of the Year betting odds:
- Evan Mobley (Cleveland) -250
- Cade Cunningham (Detroit) +600
- Scottie Barnes (Toronto) +650
- Franz Wagner (Orlando) +1400
- Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City) +3500
- Jalen Green (Houston) +6600
- Chris Duarte (Indiana) +6600
- Ayo Dosunmu (Chicago) +6600
- Alperen Sengun (Houston) +10000
- Davion Mitchell (Sacramento) +15000
- Jalen Suggs (Orlando) +15000
- Cameron Thomas (Brooklyn) +25000
These are the odds entering February, but you are going to see some players drop off of the list as the season moves along. Injuries can also have a significant impact on this race, and that will be something to follow as the season moves along.
Where Did Mobley Come From?
Cade Cunningham was the top overall draft pick in the 2021 NBA Draft to the Detroit Pistons. The top overall picks aren’t always the betting favorites to win this award, but that was the case with Cunningham before the season began.
The rookie guard has had a solid season for Detroit, but he is no longer the favorite as Evan Mobley has risen to the top. Mobley has been terrific during his first season in a Cleveland Cavaliers uniform, and he has his team near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
The big man is averaging 14.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game while also being a dominant presence on the defensive end of the floor. If Mobley continues to play that well for the Cavs, then it is going to be hard for Cunningham or anyone else for that matter to catch him.
Scottie Barnes (+650) of the Toronto Raptors is another player that is still in the mix, but his team is struggling to remain in the playoff race. These three players are clearly the favorites to win the award, but there is still plenty of season remaining.
Rising Stars Rookie Team Announced
The NBA All-Star Game is coming up, and that has turned into a weekend-long event. One of the top events that weekend is the Rising Stars Challenge, and the rookie squad was just recently announced.
Here are the 12 rookies that were chosen to represent the rookie class:
- Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors
- Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
- Ayo Dosunmu, Chicago Bulls
- Chris Duarte, Indiana Pacers
- Josh Giddey, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Jalen Green, Houston Rockets
- Herbert Jones, New Orleans Pelicans
- Davion Mitchell, Sacramento Kings
- Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
- Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
- Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic
- Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
Underdogs Lurking?
The Rising Stars Rookie team looks very similar to the current betting odds to win the ROTY Award. The fact that there are three clear betting favorites has been established, but there are some underdogs that can still make a run.
Ayo Dosunmu of the Chicago Bulls is one of those players, and his odds continue to get better as time goes on. Dosunmu is now listed at +6600, but there is plenty of value there as he is now starting in Chicago, and that team is leading the East.
Josh Giddey (+3500) of the Oklahoma City Thunder is another name to watch out for, but his team isn’t going to give him much help.
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