NBA Rookie Of The Year Betting Odds 2025
What do Michael Jordan, Shaq, Kevin Durant, and Ben Simmons have in common?
If you guessed that they all inflicted a lot of damage on the 76ers throughout their careers or that they were all named the NBA Rookie of the Year, you would be correct!
Outside of the NBA MVP award, the race to be named the NBA’s top rookie is one of the most exciting in all of basketball.
For sports bettors, it’s even more exciting to try to match your betting skills with your eagle eye for talent. Each NBA season is packed with drama as the league’s newest stars try to leave their mark.
So, who has the best chance to win NBA Rookie of the Year in 2025? Before we start combing through each rookie’s resume, let’s get into some trends and betting insights to help you make informed decisions.
Note: Odds were correct at the time of writing.
Key Trends for Rookie of the Year
Understanding past Rookie of the Year Award winners can give you an edge when analyzing the odds. Here are some key stats to know from the last 20 seasons:
- Top 5 Draft Picks Dominate: A whopping 16 of the last 20 winners were top-five draft picks! Since the NBA Draft Lottery was instituted in 1984, there have been only two Rookie of the Year Award winners (Malcolm Brogdon in 2016-17 and Mark Jackson in 1987-88) to come from outside the lottery picks.
- Ain’t Nuthin But a ‘G’ Thang: Dating back to 2005, guards have brought home the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 12 of the last 20 seasons! However, the last three seasons have seen two forwards (Paolo Banchero and Scottie Barnes) and one center/freak of nature (Victor Wembanyama) win the honors.
- Winning Teams Not Required: The last 20 years have shown us that team success isn’t a major factor in who ultimately brings home the award, as only four Rookie of the Year winners made the playoffs in their debut season.
- #1 Overall Picks: Despite all the hype that comes with being the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA, only eight top overall picks have won the award over the past 20 years! However, the last two NBA Rookie of the Year Awards have gone to the No. 1 overall pick in that draft.
How is the Winner Decided?
The NBA Rookie of the Year Award is selected by a group of broadcasters and journalists in the United States and Canada.
Each voter gets three votes to use, with the first-place vote receiving five points, the second-place vote receiving three points, and the third-place vote receiving one point.
The rookie that has the most total points cast is the one that wins the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, meaning a player could still win the award even if they do not have the most first-place votes.
Betting on the 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year Award
Entering the 2025 NBA Season, NBA pundits and draft experts have declared this rookie class to pale in comparison to most of the draft classes over the last two decades.
As a result of this, there is no real clear-cut favorite for the award, and the betting markets for NBA Rookie of the Year have adjusted accordingly.
With such a unique draft class this season, you should still keep an eye on players from the top of the draft board, as history suggests they are the safest bets.
However, don’t overlook players in favorable team situations—rookies with plenty of playing time and the freedom to shine often outperform expectations.
NBA Rookie of the Year Betting Odds Report
So now that we’ve covered the background of this prestigious trophy, let’s get into where things stand in the race for the 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year award as we approach the 2025 NBA All-Star Break!
The Frontrunner
Stephon Castle – G – San Antonio Spurs
The 4th overall pick from the two-time defending NCAA Champion UConn Huskies opened the year as the second shortest favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year at (+700) and is now the frontrunner for the award as we enter the month of February.
The Spurs have been a pleasant surprise for much of the season despite being without legendary coach Gregg Popovich for the majority of the campaign.
However, they’ve begun to slide down the Western Conference standings recently as they enter February a few games out of a playoff spot.
The 20-year-old guard has averaged nearly 12 points a night with four assists and three rebounds and is the clear favorite for the award as the NBA season hits the home stretch following the All-Star Break.
Best Betting Odds as of February 10, 2025: bet365 (+180)
The Contenders
Kel’el Ware – F/C – Miami Heat
You know how we said the NBA Rookie of the Year Award typically goes to a lottery pick? Well, the Miami Heat are not a big fan of tradition!
After starting out slow out of the gate, in large part because he just didn’t see much action, Miami’s 15th overall pick from the 2024 NBA Draft is now a strong contender to win the award, with just Castle ahead of him.
Ware entered the 2025 NBA Season as a +5000 long shot to take home the award.
After a strong January that saw the former Oregon Duck score 13.5 points per game with over seven rebounds a night, Kel’el is suddenly a strong contender to become the first non-lottery pick to win the award since 2016.
Best Betting Odds as of February 10, 2025: bet365 (+210)
Jaylen Wells – G/F – Memphis Grizzlies
While the 2025 NBA Draft hasn’t produced many standout rookies so far, the Grizzlies may have unearthed the biggest gem from this class with the 39th overall pick Jaylen Wells.
Wells began his collegiate career playing at Division II Sonoma State before transferring to Washington State University, where he was an instrumental part in the Cougs run to an NCAA Tournament berth.
Since entering the NBA, Wells has continued to play at a high level and was named the NBA Rookie of the Month for games played at the end of October and throughout all of November.
He’s averaging about 12 points per contest with three rebounds and a sensational 39 percent shooting mark from three-point range, and unlike Sarr, Wells is a part of a Grizzlies team that is very much a playoff contender in the West.
Considering there are no heavy hitters from this draft class, it would not be surprising at all to see him pick up some steam to eventually bring home this award.
Best Betting Odds as of February 10, 2025: bet365 (+500)
Zaccharie Risacher – G/F – Atlanta Hawks
As the 2025 NBA Draft 1st overall pick, a lot of pressure has been put on Risacher this year. But after a slow start, his form has improved considerably in the past few weeks.
The 6‑8 French forward, who dazzled overseas and in Summer League, is averaging 11.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, and the Hawks have high hopes that he will continue to improve until the end of the season.
Despite this, it seems a tough ask at this moment in time for Risacher to overtake the leading contenders, who seem to be lighting up the league on a far more consistent basis.
His ability to attack the basket and defend multiple positions has stood out, but his 28% three-point shooting limits his overall impact and general chances.
Best Betting Odds as of February 10, 2025: bet365 (+700)
The Dark Horse
Alexandre Sarr – F/C – Washington Wizards
The 2nd overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has been the lone bright spot for a woeful Wizards team that boasts the worst record in all of basketball.
The 7-footer from France, who played professionally in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL), was seen as a stretch 4 when entering the league.
He has posted a respectable 11.5 points per game with just under seven rebounds a night and 30 percent shooting from three-point range.
However, it will be very difficult for Sarr to stand out amongst Rookie of the Year Award voters, given the absolute dumpster fire the Wizards are this season.
While he figures to be in the mix for the award for the rest of the year, his odds have gone down from the heights of late January as he picked up an ankle injury.
Best Betting Odds as of February 10, 2025: bet365 (+1400)
The Longshots
Zach Edey – C – Memphis Grizzlies (+1400)
Isaiah Collier – G – Utah Jazz (+2200)
Matas Buzelis – F – Chicago Bulls (+4000)
Dalton Knecht – G/F – Los Angeles Lakers (+6500)
Yves Missi – C – New Orleans Pelicans (+8000)
NBA Rookie Of The Year Historical Winners
| Year | Winner | Team | Statline (PPG, RPG, APG) |
| 2024 | Victor Wembanyama | San Antonio Spurs | 21.4 / 10.6 / 3.9 |
| 2023 | Paolo Banchero | Orlando Magic | 20.0 / 6.9 / 3.7 |
| 2022 | Scottie Barnes | Toronto Raptors | 15.3 / 7.5 / 3.5 |
| 2021 | LaMelo Ball | Charlotte Hornets | 15.7 / 5.9 / 6.1 |
| 2020 | Ja Morant | Memphis Grizzlies | 17.8 / 3.9 / 7.3 |
| 2019 | Luka Doncic | Dallas Mavericks | 21.2 / 7.8 / 6.0 |
| 2018 | Ben Simmons | Philadelphia 76ers | 15.8 / 8.1 / 8.2 |
| 2017 | Malcolm Brogdon | Milwaukee Bucks | 10.2 / 2.8 / 4.2 |
| 2016 | Karl-Anthony Towns | Minnesota Timberwolves | 18.3 / 10.5 / 2.0 |
| 2015 | Andrew Wiggins | Minnesota Timberwolves | 16.9 / 4.6 / 2.1 |
| 2014 | Michael Carter-Williams | Philadelphia 76ers | 16.7 / 6.2 / 6.3 |
| 2013 | Damian Lillard | Portland Trail Blazers | 19.0 / 3.1 / 6.5 |
| 2012 | Kyrie Irving | Cleveland Cavaliers | 18.5 / 3.7 / 5.4 |
How To Bet On the NBA Rookie of the Year
To bet on the ROTY, follow these steps:
- Go to your preferred sportsbook and log into your account.
- Select the ‘NBA Odds’ tab option in the betting menu.
- Go to the ‘Player Futures’ drop-down menu.
- Click on ‘Rookie of the Year.’
- Pick your bet and make it real by submitting it in the bet-slip window.