NBA Rookie of the Year Odds: Cameron Boozer Favored Over Dybantsa, Peterson After Getting Drafted by Grizzlies
Cameron Boozer opens as the early NBA Rookie of the Year favorite after landing with the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 3 overall. The odds board is loaded with freshmen from a historic draft class, but opportunity may matter just as much as talent in this market.
Peter Alexis - June 24, 2026, 7:15 AM EDT
5 Minute ReadNBA Rookie of the Year Odds: Cameron Boozer Early Favorite with Heavy Scoring Opportunity in Memphis
Cameron Boozer is the early favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year at +240 after being selected third overall by the Memphis Grizzlies. Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa are next at +400, followed by Darius Acuff Jr. at +450 and Caleb Wilson at +950.
This rookie class is packed with freshman stars, but Boozer has the cleanest early opportunity. Dybantsa may have gone No. 1, but he is joining a Washington team with Anthony Davis and Trae Young already commanding touches. Peterson has a clear path in Utah but walks into a crowded young core, while Boozer should be able to become one of Memphis’ primary focal points immediately.
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NBA Rookie of the Year Odds
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NBA Rookie of the Year Odds Breakdown
Cameron Boozer (+240) Check out these best odds at FanDuel Sportsbook
Boozer averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists in his lone season at Duke, giving him the strongest blend of production and NBA-ready polish in the class. He was a dominant college player from the start, combining interior scoring, rebounding, passing and touch in a way that should translate quickly. Rookie of the Year voters often reward volume and stability, and Boozer has both.
The Memphis fit is the main reason he is favored. The Grizzlies went 25-57 last season and need a frontcourt centerpiece who can immediately handle scoring and rebounding responsibility. Boozer should get touches, shots and late-game reps right away, especially if Memphis continues reshaping its roster around a younger timeline.
His path to the award is straightforward. If he averages something close to a double-double and Memphis improves, he will have the combination of numbers, role and narrative that usually drives this market. He is not just a high draft pick, he is the top rookie walking into the clearest usage environment.
Darryn Peterson (+400) Check out these best odds at Caesars Sportsbook
Peterson averaged 20.2 points per game at Kansas and still went No. 2 overall to the Utah Jazz despite injury and cramping concerns during the season. The scoring talent is obvious, and his shot creation gives him a real Rookie of the Year case if he gets healthy quickly and takes control of the Jazz offense.
Utah gives him opportunity, but not a completely open runway. Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, Walker Kessler and Ace Bailey are already part of the young core, which means Peterson may have to share touches more than Boozer will in Memphis. That is not a bad environment for development, but it can make Rookie of the Year volume harder to lock in.
The upside is that guards can win this award quickly when they have the ball. If Peterson becomes Utah’s lead creator and stays on the floor, he can pile up points and assists immediately. The risk is that health management, offensive hierarchy and efficiency make him a little less clean than Boozer at the same stage.
AJ Dybantsa (+400) Check out these best odds at FanDuel Sportsbook
Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists at BYU, then went No. 1 overall to the Washington Wizards. He is the biggest long-term talent in the class and has the scoring profile to win Rookie of the Year in a normal No. 1 pick setup.
The issue is Washington’s roster context. With Anthony Davis and Trae Young already in place, Dybantsa may not immediately have the same offensive freedom Boozer gets in Memphis. That could help him play winning basketball earlier, but it may cap the raw scoring volume that usually drives this award.
Dybantsa still has a strong case because he can score without needing every possession built around him. He can run in transition, attack mismatches, get to the line and benefit from Young’s playmaking. The talent is too strong to dismiss at +400, but the market is right to question whether his rookie role will be quite as free as Boozer’s.
Darius Acuff Jr. (+450) Check out these best odds at DraftKings Sportsbook
Acuff is the most interesting dark horse on the board at +450 after going No. 7 to the Sacramento Kings. He averaged 23.5 points, 6.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds at Arkansas, and his late-season surge was one of the strongest freshman storylines of the year.
The appeal is opportunity. Sacramento needs creation, energy and a young guard who can put pressure on defenses, and Acuff has the kind of offensive confidence that can pop immediately. He carried Arkansas to the Sweet 16 and proved he could handle huge usage, including massive scoring nights against quality opponents.
Acuff’s case depends on whether the Kings let him run. If he gets starter-level minutes and enough on-ball reps, his counting stats could compete with anyone in this class. He is not the safest candidate, but he has the best price among the players with a realistic path to becoming his team’s primary rookie creator.
Caleb Wilson (+950) Check out these best odds at FanDuel Sportsbook
Wilson averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists at North Carolina before going No. 4 to the Chicago Bulls. He also led UNC in blocks and steals per game, giving him a two-way profile that can help him stay on the floor early.
Chicago is a strong developmental spot because the Bulls are rebuilding and can give Wilson real minutes right away. The issue is that his offensive role may be less centered than Boozer’s or Acuff’s, especially if Chicago spreads touches across its young core. Wilson can impact games in several ways, but Rookie of the Year often comes down to scoring and usage.
At +950, he is the first bigger value swing on the board. If he averages near a double-double and becomes one of Chicago’s most important players by midseason, the price will shorten quickly. His path is not as obvious as Boozer’s, but the minutes and role should be there.
Mikel Brown Jr. (+1500) Check out these best odds at BetMGM Sportsbook
Brown averaged 18.2 points and 4.7 assists at Louisville before Brooklyn took him No. 6. The Nets can offer guard minutes, but his back injury and missed time last season make him harder to trust than the players above him.
The upside is still real because Brown can score and create off the bounce. If he gets healthy and Brooklyn lets him develop through mistakes, he can outperform this number, but he needs a cleaner rookie ramp than he had in college.
Yaxel Lendeborg (+2000) Check out these best odds at FanDuel Sportsbook
Lendeborg averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists at Michigan before Golden State selected him No. 11. He is older and more NBA-ready than most players in the class, which could help him earn early minutes with a Warriors team that needs frontcourt versatility.
His Rookie of the Year path is tricky because he may be more of a connector than a featured scorer. That makes him valuable to Golden State, but voters usually chase bigger numbers unless the team success story is impossible to ignore.
Keaton Wagler (+3500) Check out these best odds at BetMGM Sportsbook
Wagler averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists at Illinois before the Clippers took him No. 5. He helped lead Illinois to the Final Four and has the shooting profile to earn minutes early.
The problem is role. The Clippers may not hand him the ball enough for Rookie of the Year production, especially if he is used more as a complementary shooter and secondary creator. At +3500, he needs the role to grow faster than expected.
Brayden Burries (+5000) Check out these best odds at Caesars Sportsbook
Burries averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists at Arizona before Milwaukee took him No. 10. He enters a Bucks team beginning a new era after the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, which could create more opportunity than usual for a rookie picked in this range.
He has a chance to play because Milwaukee needs scoring, shooting and perimeter toughness. The odds are long because he may not have the on-ball role of the top guards, but the roster situation gives him more life than a normal +5000 ticket.
Nate Ament (+10000) Check out these best odds at FanDuel Sportsbook
Ament averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists at Tennessee before landing with Milwaukee at No. 13. He has size, shooting and long-term upside, but he may need time to add strength and adjust physically.
The Bucks’ rebuild gives him opportunity, but he is probably more of a developmental swing than an immediate Rookie of the Year threat. At +10000, this is a patience-and-upside ticket rather than a strong early-season read.
NBA Rookie Of The Year Odds Outlook
Boozer deserves favorite status because he combines college production, NBA-ready polish and the cleanest early role. Memphis should let him play through mistakes, and his rebounding gives him a statistical floor even on off shooting nights.
Dybantsa and Peterson are the biggest talent threats, but both have roster-context questions. Dybantsa has to share the spotlight with Davis and Young, while Peterson joins a Utah team with several young players already needing touches. Acuff is the value play because Sacramento could give him enough usage to post the kind of points and assists that make Rookie of the Year campaigns loud.
The current market has the right favorite, but the most interesting ticket is Acuff at +450. Boozer is the safest pick, Dybantsa has the highest overall ceiling, Peterson has the guard-scorer path, and Acuff has the opportunity-price combination that makes this market more than a one-player race.
- Market Favorite: Cameron Boozer (+240)
- Value Watch: Darius Acuff Jr. (+450) Check out these best odds at DraftKings Sportsbook
NBA ODDS
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