With the 2016 NBA draft in the books online sportsbook users can get ready to make their prediction for the rookie of the year award. There are plenty of fresh faces but Ben Simmons seems to be everyone’s favorite. With good reason; the young man is being regarded as one of the best prospects since LeBron James. However, he isn’t the only name garnering attention. Some of the other potential nominees include Denzel Valentine out of Michigan State, Brandon Ingram out of Duke, and Buddy Hield out of Oklahoma. The rookie of the year award is one of the most intriguing bets in basketball. Those interested in NBA betting can get ready to place their bet on which rookie they think will take home the award. There are plenty of viable options, and it is important to consider them all before placing your wager.
Here are the odds:
Ben Simmons (PHI) 13/4 Thon Maker (MIL) 16/1
Buddy Hield (NO) 11/2 Taurean Prince (ATL) 16/1
Brandon Ingram (LAL) 13/2 Dragan Bender (PHO) 20/1
Kris Dunn (MIN) 15/2 Jaylen Brown (BOS) 20/1
Jamal Murray (DEN) 12/1 Brice Johnson (LAC) 20/1
Denzel Valentine (CHI) 12/1 Caris LeVert (BKN) 20/1
Joel Embiid (PHI) 14/1 Malachi Richardson 20/1
Wade Baldwin (MEM) 16/1 Jakob Poeltl (TOR) 25/1
Marquese Chriss (PHO) 16/1 Domantas Sabonis (OKC) 28/1
Simmons leading the pack comes to no surprise. He’s more than likely to be in the starting lineup for Philadelphia from day one, and with the Sixers current roster he’s not going to have a lack of opportunity to prove himself. However, with no proven talent to surround him the rookie will have to rely primarily on his own skill. If his play at LSU is any indication of things to come then online gamblers can be confident that he’ll be a shoo-in for top rookie honors. He’ll be playing on one of the youngest rosters in the NBA and if the Sixers can build any sort of chemistry it will be interesting to see what they can put up.
Hield, who went sixth overall to the New Orleans Pelicans, is a tremendous shooter. This pairs perfectly with New Orleans, as they have a legitimate need for one. No one can question Hield’s ability; the senior earned the John R. Wooden Award for the best college basketball player. Known primarily for his shooting skill, Hield shot at 50% from the field and 45.7% from the three. Unlike Simmons, Hield will have a much better supporting cast to help him throughout the season. While having better players may limit his playtime you can expect to see Hield make the most out of every touch.
These two seem to have the highest probability of bringing home the honor, due to both a combination of their skill and the needs of the teams that drafted them. Brandon Ingram will be entering the Lakers at the end of the Kobe Bryant era. The Lakers also have a new coach so it’ll be interesting to see if they can get things rolling quickly. Kriss Dunn should make an early impact for the Timberwolves, filling a void at point guard and joining a young core of solid players. As the summer goes on the odds for each player are bound to change, and those involved in online gambling should keep a close watch on both the odds and the individual players.
