NBA Rookie of the Year betting: Will Wembanyama run away with it?

The NBA Summer League has officially commenced and this is the first opportunity for basketball fans to get a look at the incoming group of rookies.

While everyone should take the Summer League with a grain of salt, it can be hard to not overreact.

Here are our best picks for who will take home the coveted NBA Rookie of the Year award in 2024.

Victor Wembanyama ROTY odds

The clear favorite in ROTY betting markets is last year’s first overall pick, Victor Wembanyama. The 7’5″ French prodigy had a terrible first Summer League game for the San Antonio Spurs before dominating his second game with 27 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks.

His odds to win ROTY currently sit at -130 with Bovada, and while he could be a generational player down the road, betting on him to dominate right away is quite a risk.

Currently, Wembanyama will be able to make an impact on defense. He is simply too big not to.

That being said, his offensive game needs work and his skinny frame could spell trouble for him out of the gate. He may get bullied by bigger guys, and he also holds a tremendous injury risk.

We have seen these tall prospects struggle early on in their NBA career, and while we wouldn’t bet against Wemby making an impact in the long run, we will not be betting on him to win Rookie of the Year.

Scoot Henderson ROTY odds

Scoot Henderson is a flashy point guard who projects to be a great scorer in the future. While he was the third overall pick, he was considered the second-best prospect and the Portland Trail Blazers should be excited that he fell into their laps.

All that said, his odds to win ROTY at +380 are a little too short. Henderson is on a team with two other star guards and he may struggle for game time.

Although one of those guards, Damian Lillard, is expected to force his way onto a new team, that hasn’t happened yet and it makes betting on Scoot quite risky. At this point in time, there is better value on other players.

Chet Holmgren ROTY odds

Chet Holmgren isn’t a traditional rookie, but he qualifies due to missing all of last season with an injury – after he was the second overall pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Holmgren, like Wembanyama, is a freak of nature in that he is extremely tall and should make an impact right away. Unlike Wembanyama, he should do it for a playoff contender.

Last year, the Thunder were in the NBA play-in game and their young talent should only get better. While team performance isn’t everything for ROTY voters, it definitely matters and that will give Holmgren a leg up on his competition.

Holmgren will also be playing with an All-NBA level guard in Shai Gilgeous Alexander, who will make his adjustment to the NBA way easier than a lot of other rookies. At +400 with the top basketball betting sites, Holmgren is a great value pick in NBA Rookie of the Year betting.

Brandon Miller ROTY odds

The second overall pick in the last NBA draft, Brandon Miller is an elite scorer who possesses ball-handling skills that can make him a weapon right away.

While the Charlotte Hornets are expected to struggle next season, Miller will get a ton of playing time and scoring opportunities.

His ROTY odds are +1600 right now, so it is a long shot, but considering his skill set, we recommend putting a small wager on him.

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