NBA Rookie of the Year odds: What is the early outlook for the 2023-24 season?

The 2023 NBA Draft class looks extremely promising and deep. Led by Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson, the battle for the Rookie of the Year award could be the most exciting in years.

While “Wemby” is considered the best generational prospect since LeBron James more than 20 years ago, some rookies like their chances to win the ROY. Adding spice to the said award is Chet Holmgren of the OKC Thunder.

Holmgren was drafted second by the Thunder in 2022 but sat out last season due to a broken foot. If his summer league play for Oklahoma is any indication of his performance next season, he will be expected to challenge for the ROY award.

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Favorites to win the NBA Rookie of the Year honors as of July 10, 2023

Player	Odds
Victor Wembanyama	-130
Chet Holmgren	+350
Scoot Henderson	+400
Brandon Miller	+1200
Cam Whitmore	+2000
Amen Thompson	+2500
Jarace Walker	+2500
Anthony Black	+3000
Sasha Vezenkov	+3000
Ausar Thompson	+3000
Taylor Hendricks	+3500
Vasilije Micic	+3500
Gradey Dick	+3500
Cason Wallace	+4000
Bilal Coulibaly	+5000
Keyonte George	+7500

It’s no surprise that Victor Wembanyama is the odds-on favorite to emerge as the top rookie of the 2023-24 season. Many already called him a bust after a jittery performance against the Charlotte Hornets in his summer league debut.

“Wemby” was the darling of the packed Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas but struggled with his shots. He scored only nine points, hitting just 2-13 field-goal attempts, including 1-6 from deep. The Frenchman added eight rebounds, five blocks and three assists.

Victor Wembanyama, however, had a big bounce-back game in his second NBA Summer League game. He had 27 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks. The top pick of the draft was 9-14 from the field, hitting 2-4 3-point shots.

Chet Holmgren has been putting up solid numbers in three games. He hasn’t shown signs of hesitation while playing on his surgically-repaired foot.

The No. 2 pick of the 2022 NBA Draft is averaging 14.2 points and 10.0 rebounds. If he sustains this form in the regular season, he should challenge for the Rookie of the Year award.

Scoot Henderson, meanwhile, had the best summer league debut, at least in the first quarter. He dropped 13 points in the first quarter, including several highlight reel moves. Henderson exited early, however, due to a right shoulder injury.

The Portland Trail Blazers rookie finished with 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and a steal in just 21 minutes. Many raved about his performance, after putting up the most NBA-ready performance among rookies.

If the shoulder injury will not be an issue, Scoot Henderson will be a name to watch out for in the ROY race.

While Las Vegas odds are torn between Chet Holmgren and Henderson as the second and third-best favorites, respectively, Brandon Miller is near unanimous fourth. He had two disappointing NBA Summer League games but bounced back nicely against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

Playing with LaMelo Ball will only improve his chances of becoming the best rookie to come out of the draft.

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