2026 NBA Rookie of the Year Odds: Flagg Coming Back to the Pack

It's no surprise that Cooper Flagg is the favorite to win ROY... but he's now just a -110 favorite, with Charlotte's Kon Knueppel hot on his heels.

Jared Hochman - Content Operations Manager at Covers.com
Jared Hochman • Content Manager
Nov 19, 2025 • 12:25 ET • 3 min read
NBA Rookie of the Year odds Cooper Flagg Kon Knueppel
Photo By - Imagn Images. Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) and Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Kon Knueppel (7) battle for a loose ball.

The 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year odds race is roughly a month into the season, and while it's no surprise that Cooper Flagg is the favorite... the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has come back to the rest of the pack.

Flagg went from around -200 to just -110 as the favorite, with Charlotte's Kon Knueppel and Philly's V.J. Edgecombe both shorter than 5/1 now.

NBA Rookie of the Year odds

Player bet365
Hoffenheim Cooper Flagg -110
Hornets Kon Knueppel +225
76ers V.J. Edgecombe +425
Grizzlies Cedric Coward +1200
Pelicans Derik Queen +4000
Pelicans Jeremiah Fears +6000
Mavericks Ace Bailey +10000
Spurs Dylan Harper +10000
Hornets Ryan Kalkbrenner +20000
Wizards Tre Johnson +20000
Raptors Collin Murray-Boyles +35000
Nets Egor Demin +50000
Heat Kasparas Jakucionis +50000
Jazz Walter Clayton Jr. +50000
Kings Nique Clifford +50000
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Latest NBA Rookie of the Year betting splits

Highest ticket percentage
•    V.J. Edgecombe 21.0%
•    Ace Bailey 14.1%
•    Kon Knueppel 9.7%

Highest handle percentage
•    V.J. Edgecombe 34.1%
•    Ace Bailey 13.6%
•    Kon Knueppel 12.2%

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

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Jared Hochman Content Operations Manager at Covers.com
Content Manager

Before Jared Hochman joined the Covers team in 2020, he worked for newspaper outlets such as the Chronicle Herald and The Coast, worked in marketing for SkipTheDishes and Vivid Seats, and previously ran a magazine. A journalism graduate from the University of King's College in, Halifax, N.S., "Hoch" brings more than a decade of experience in sports betting, having worked as a freelance handicapper, making appearances on Monumental Sports Network and the Sharp 600 podcast, and now also filling in occasionally as host of Covers' NHL Puck Props. 

Awarded Covers' company MVP for 2023, Jared is an avid bettor of MLB, NFL, NHL, and NBA, while also wagering on some soccer and WNBA. His best advice for sports bettors? Price shop, which is something he does daily across 10 different sportsbook apps.

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