2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year Odds

Merely some weeks after Stephon Castle was named the NBA Rookie of the Year 2025, US-based sportsbooks released all-new odds for the 2025-26 NBA ROTY betting market. To no one's surprise, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Cooper Flagg, opens as a massive betting favorite to take home the trophy for the upcoming season.

Can anyone challenge the Dallas Mavericks' new super talent in the Rookie of the Year race? Here, we follow the 2025-26 season's ROTY betting market with up-to-date best odds.

2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year - Best Odds Right Now

• Best odds as of July 15, 2025

• Opening odds are from BetMGM

• * = The same odds are offered by multiple sportsbooks.

2025-26 NBA ROTY Award Odds Comparison - Top10 Contenders

Odds as of July 15, 2025

Current Favorites

Cooper Flagg (DAL): Before Cooper Flagg even took a step onto the floor for Duke, he was expected to be the #1 pick in the draft. Well, after averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game, the Dallas Mavericks made that expectation a reality. Unlike most first overall picks, Flagg will be stepping into a good situation where he can learn from future Hall of Famers, while having the chance to reach the postseason in his rookie year. While he may not be the actual focal point of the offense like some lottery picks will be for their new teams, Flagg's ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor will make it tough for other rookies to claim the ROY.

Ace Bailey (UTA): After what was one of the stranger pre-draft processes, Ace Bailey landed in Utah, which was a franchise he denied a workout and interview with. While Bailey seemed to be looking to force himself to Washington or Brooklyn, the Jazz decided his shot-making and scoring potential were too good to pass on. Even if Utah wasn't Bailey's first choice, he will still be able to go in on day one and take most of the shooting volume on a team that has not shown any improvement for multiple seasons.

Tre Johnson (WAS): The Washington Wizards need help in all facets of the game, but specifically, they need a genuine scoring threat. With the Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma era officially over, the Wizards are leaning into a youth movement, and out of all the young talent on the roster, Johnson has the best scoring ability. In his freshman year at Texas, Johnson averaged 19.9 points per game while shooting 42.7% from the field. With the current state of the organization, Johnson could undoubtedly end up having one of the highest usage rates on the team this upcoming season, which should help him stay in the ROY race.

2024-25 Rookie of The Year Winner - Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs)

Castle was all over the odds board for this award, but ultimately he ended up on top when it was all said and done. While his odds dropped for a bit early in the season, a strong stretch of play in January and February had him right back in the mix. Castle averaged 14.7 points per game on the season to go along with 4.1 assists. Castle's role with the acquisition of De'Aaron Fox did change, and it changed again with the Victor Wembanyama injury, as he took on a significant role in the team's offense, averaging 19.5 points in March and 18.9 points in April.

The 2024-25 class was not considered a strong one, so while Castle's numbers may not be the best a rookie has ever produced in a season, they were the most complete out of anyone else in his class. Given what the Spurs had to deal with injury-wise, Castle was able to shine on a nightly basis and showcase his bright future.

Castle's Rookie of the Year Worthy Stats

2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year Voting

Past Rookie of the Year Winners

The Usage Rate Shortcut: Why Opportunity Often Trumps Talent in the ROY Race

Talent is an obvious requirement for winning the NBA Rookie of the Year award, but young players need minutes to showcase their talent. Sure, guys will show flashes of talent throughout the year, but the true contenders don’t need to flash as they get consistent enough touches to show they are productive members of a team's rotation.

This is a good thing to keep in mind when placing ROY futures, and a big reason why it’s rare to see players drafted outside the lottery win the award. Most lottery picks are stepping into developing teams whose goal is to get that player as many touches as possible, while players drafted to contenders have to fight for touches and minutes.

Team context is vital to the handicapping process for this award, whether it be a preseason or in-season bet. In some years, it may not be as prevalent as the top three favorites, but maybe all are getting minutes and touches to bolster their numbers. In other cases, when a draft class is considered “weaker,” team context may help weed out the field. 

Even a difference of a couple of minutes a night can split the hairs for voters, as it allows the player to put together a stronger case. The 2022 ROY race is a good example, as Scottie Barnes led all rookies in MPG, and mixed with his team being a bit more put together, he had the most win shares as a rookie.

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