NBA Rookie of the Year Odds & Betting Favorites

The NBA Rookie of the Year trophy remained in Texas for a third straight year.

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg edged out Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel to win the Rookie of the Year award during the 2025-26 NBA season. This came after the San Antonio Spurs had back-to-back ROY winners between Stephon Castle in 2024-25 and Victor Wembanyama in 2023-24.

And yet, the 2027 Rookie of the Year race could be even better.

Odds to Win NBA Rookie of the Year 2027

BetMGM doesn’t have NBA betting odds for the 2027 Rookie of the Year race, but here are some of the top contenders entering this summer:

Who Will Win NBA Rookie of the Year in 2027?

It’s still too early to forecast the 2027 NBA Rookie of the Year, but the race already looks loaded. A generational draft class is expected to produce multiple contenders, setting up what could be a deep and highly competitive field.

The NBA Draft lottery isn’t until May 10, yet whichever team lands the No. 1 pick will face a tough call. BYU forward AJ Dybantsa has emerged as the betting favorite in early odds, thanks to his elite scoring profile. As a freshman, he led the nation with 25.5 points per game while also contributing 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

Dybantsa surged into the top spot during conference tournament week, overtaking Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, who opened as the early frontrunner. Peterson’s lone college season was disrupted by injuries, but his upside was evident when healthy. He averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in limited action.

Meanwhile, Duke forward Cameron Boozer became just the fifth freshman to win the Wooden Award. He posted 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, along with 4.1 assists, showcasing a well-rounded offensive game.

Elsewhere, Darius Acuff Jr. proved to be a natural scorer in his lone season at Arkansas, while North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson flashed two-way versatility. With this level of talent at the top, it’s no surprise several teams were incentivized to chase a lottery position, potentially setting the stage for a wide-open Rookie of the Year race.

In some ways, the 2026 race served as a preview of that kind of competition. Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg closed as a -175 favorite, finishing with 412 total points and 56 first-place votes. He narrowly edged Charlotte Hornets Kon Knueppel, who totaled 386 points and 44 first-place votes.

The two former Duke teammates became the first college duo to finish first and second in Rookie of the Year voting since Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon in 2004–05.

Flagg’s path to the award wasn’t easy, despite entering the season as a -225 preseason favorite — the shortest odds for a rookie in nearly two decades. Only Kevin Durant and Victor Wembanyama have entered seasons with comparable expectations in that span. Durant opened at -200 before winning in 2007–08, while Wembanyama began at -145 and ultimately took home the award after briefly losing favorite status to Chet Holmgren.

Knueppel, the No. 4 overall pick, pushed Flagg throughout the year and even held the top spot in the odds at multiple points. He first overtook Flagg in mid-November, briefly fell back, then reclaimed the lead in March when Flagg missed time with an injury. The two traded favorite status multiple times during the final week of the regular season, underscoring how tight the race remained.

Ultimately, voters leaned toward Flagg’s all-around impact. He became the first rookie since Michael Jordan to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. Flagg averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists on 46.8% shooting in a heavy workload for Dallas.

Knueppel was just as impressive, averaging 18.5 points on 47.5% shooting, along with 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists for a Charlotte team that fell short in the play-in tournament.

After that back-and-forth battle in 2026, the 2027 race is projected to be even deeper. Peterson might be an early name to watch, but the outlook could shift significantly once these prospects land with their respective NBA teams.

Prediction: Darryn Peterson

NBA Rookie of the Year Voting 2026

Past NBA Rookie of the Year Winners

Who Was the Biggest Preseason Favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year?

According to the Sports Odds History database, Cooper Flagg made history as the biggest preseason favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year. He was -225 before the start of the 2025-26 campaign. The data doesn’t go back further than 2007.

Before Flagg, Kevin Durant’s -200 preseason price tag was the steepest before he won the award in 2008.