It's almost time for another NBA season as training camps throughout the association will open in just a few short weeks. Now is a great time for fans to lock in futures bets, and this page will detail the NBA Rookie of the Year Odds and Picks, including the best long shot bets.
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NBA Rookie of the Year Odds
| Player | Team | Odds |
| Cooper Flagg | Mavericks | -225 |
| Tre Johnson | Wizards | +800 |
| V.J. Edgecombe | 76ers | +1100 |
| Dylan Harper | Spurs | +1200 |
| Ace Bailey | Jazz | +1600 |
| Kon Knueppel | Hornets | +3500 |
| Nique Clifford | Kings | +4000 |
| Hansen Yang | Trail Blazers | +4000 |
| Walter Clayton Jr. | Jazz | +5000 |
| Nikola Topic | Thunder | +5000 |
It's hard to believe we're just one month away from basketball as the 2025-26 NBA season tips off on October 21. Another highly-touted rookie class is gearing up to make their debuts as the Rookie of the Year race always produces exciting storylines for fans and bettors to follow.
While Cooper Flagg is the overwhelming favorite to win the award at (-225) odds, basketball bettors might be looking at other options in the field to try to wager with a bit more value. Check out these three long-shot picks for the NBA Rookie of the Year, as the new season will be underway soon.
V.J. Edgecombe (+1100)
With the third-best odds to win the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year, V.J. Edgecombe of the Philadelphia 76ers should be a popular bet this season. The 6'5'' swingman is a gifted scorer with jump-out-of-the-gym athleticism and a smooth three-point stroke.
Edgecombe averaged 15 points per game on better than 43% shooting last season for Baylor, winning Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors. And while Philly has a crowded depth chart in the backcourt, Edgecombe's size and defensive ability might be the best fit next to all-star Tyrese Maxey.
Let's not forget this was a 76ers team that dealt with rampant injuries last season, and the aging roster could present a quick path to big minutes for the third overall pick of April's draft.
Ace Bailey (+1600)
Ace Bailey was the fifth overall pick in April's draft after averaging better than 17 points and 7 rebounds per game in his lone collegiate season at Rutgers. With the fifth-best odds (+1600) to win the NBA ROTY award, the case for Ace is fairly simple: look where he was drafted.
The Utah Jazz were one of the worst teams in the NBA last season and are shaping up to be near the bottom of the league once again this season. To put it bluntly, there would be very little incentive for Utah to play veterans ahead of their first-round pick in a season that's going nowhere.
There was also noise around a potential Lauri Markanen trade at last year's deadline, and if Markanen was dealt this season, it would open up a bevy of minutes for Utah's shiny new rookie.
Kon Knueppel (+3500)
Kon Knueppel is one of the best dart throws for NBA Rookie of the Year bettors with the sixth-best odds at a juicy (+3500). Knueppel was extremely impressive in his freshman season at Duke, averaging over 14 points per game on better than 47% shooting from the field and 40% from three.
He is very likely to be a day one starter this season for Charlotte, slotting into a lineup with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. At 6'7'' 217 lbs. Knueppel has good size and a polished offensive game that should translate immediately to the NBA level.
Knueppel was the number four overall pick in the draft for a reason, and could certainly be in the race for Rookie of the Year with his former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg.