The 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year odds race is officially underway, and while it's no surprise that Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, is the favorite... after just one week, we have what appears to be a two-horse race.
Sixers rookie V.J. Edgecombe has started his NBA career by averaging 22.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game, putting the guard (who was picked third overall) at just +135 — with no other player shorter than 18/1.
NBA Rookie of the Year odds
| Player |  |
|---|---|
 Cooper Flagg |
-190 |
 V.J. Edgecombe |
+135 |
 Dylan Harper |
+1800 |
 Kon Knueppel |
+2000 |
 Tre Johnson |
+2000 |
 Ace Bailey |
+4000 |
 Cedric Coward |
+4000 |
 Jeremiah Fears |
+8000 |
| Walter Clayton Jr. |
+8000 |
 Egor Demin |
+10000 |
Latest NBA Rookie of the Year betting splits
Highest ticket percentage
• V.J. Edgecombe 21.2%
• Ace Bailey 10.9%
• Tre Johnson 9.0%
Highest handle percentage
• V.J. Edgecombe 31.8%
• Ace Bailey 18.0%
• Cooper Flagg 9.6%
Biggest liability
• V.J. Edgecombe
Data courtesy of BetMGM.
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NBA ROY betting trends
Here are some trends to keep in mind when betting on NBA Rookie of the Year:
- The No. 1 pick has won Rookie of the Year four times in the past 10 seasons.
- Bigs (PF/C) haven't had much success in ROY recently, with just four wins in the last 20 seasons.
- Only one ROY winner this century (Malcolm Brogdon, 36th, 2016) was drafted outside of the lottery.
- The Rookie of the Year has been drafted in the Top 5 in 16 of the past 20 seasons.
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NBA Rookie of the Year history
| Year | NBA ROY Winner | Opening Odds | Pick No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Stephon Castle | +1200 | 4 |
| 2023-24 | Victor Wembanyama | -145 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | Paolo Banchero | +200 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | Scottie Barnes | +1100 | 4 |
| 2020-21 | LaMelo Ball | +400 | 3 |
| 2019-20 | Ja Morant | +250 | 2 |
| 2018-19 | Luka Doncic | +250 | 3 |
| 2017-18 | Ben Simmons | +225 | 1 |
| 2016-17 | Malcolm Brogdon | N/A | 36 |
| 2015-16 | Karl-Anthony Towns | +450 | 1 |
| 2014-15 | Andrew Wiggins | +400 | 1 |
| 2013-14 | Michael Carter-Williams | +1200 | 11 |
| 2012-13 | Damian Lillard | +500 | 6 |
| 2011-12 | Kyrie Irving | +500 | 1 |
| 2010-11 | Blake Griffin | +200 | 1 |
| 2009-10 | Tyreke Evans | +700 | 4 |
| 2008-09 | Derrick Rose | +350 | 1 |
| 2007-08 | Kevin Durant | -200 | 2 |
| 2006-07 | Brandon Roy | +300 | 6 |
| 2005-06 | Chris Paul | N/A | 4 |
| 2004-05 | Emeka Okafor | N/A | 2 |
NBA Rookie of the Year odds FAQ
San Antonio guard Stephon Castle is the current favorite to win Rookie of the Year, followed by Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher.
San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama won the 2024 NBA ROY.
The first overall pick has won ROY 22 times since 1953.
Yes, three times in fact. The award was shared by Elton Brand and Steve Francis (2000), Grant Hill and Jason Kidd (1995) and Dave Cowens and Geoff Petrie (1971).
Spurs guard Stephon Castle, at his current -650 odds, is predicted to win with an 87% implied probability.
