Can Anyone Catch Ja Morant and Cut into his NBA Rookie of the Year Odds?
By: Nick Holz
Human highlight reel Zion Williamson is set to make his NBA debut this week against the San Antonio Spurs. It’s an exciting time for basketball in New Orleans. And even better for the NBA Rookie of the Year trophy race.
Remember sports fans we’ve never seen anyone with the combination of size-6’7, 285 lbs- and athleticism Zion has. The fact is the spectacle that is Zion may be enough for him to win Rookie of the Year. His first game has already been flexed into the national spotlight. Talking heads and pundits will be spinning starting on the morning after his debut. The fact is, Ja Morant could go for a 40 point triple double and jump over a 7-footer on Wednesday night, and the NBA world would still revolve around Zion.
Williamson can go over you, around you, or through you. He is still an athletic anomaly when surrounded by NBA players, and that is the scariest part. Bettors who are deadset on picking Williamson as their NBA Rookie of the Year should bet now at +800. As soon as Zion steps on the floor, his price will go down considerably.
The Best NBA Rookie of the Year Odds
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How Quickly Will Zion Cut into Ja Morant’s Rookie of the Year Odds
Incredibly, because of the injury to Zion and so many star players around the league, rookies have made their mark. Undrafted in 2018,
Kendrick Nunn of the Miami Heat has come out firing. Nunn has put up 16.3 points on 46% shooting. Nunn has taken over for a legend, while playing the position Dwayne Wade once dominated. Behind the contributions of their promising rookies, the Heat sit 2nd in the Eastern Conference, are a true contender.
Nunn’s NBA Rookie of the Year odds are currently +850, the same as RJ Barrett of the New York Knicks. A strong second half will do wonders for Nunn’s candidacy. Miami is in a position to go deep into the playoffs, and if Nunn is one of the reasons for that, lookout. Betting the underdog may seem unwise as it stands, but anything can happen in today’s NBA.
Though Ja Morant still sits as a heavy favorite at -250, the NBA Rookie of the Year trophy is up for grabs heading into the season’s second half. The third and fourth quarters of the year will tell the tale, and ultimately crown a rookie champion. As Zion returns, and other rookies see more playing time down the stretch of the season, this contest will inevitably ramp up. Betting on the NBA Rookie of the Year has never been more fun, or profitable!
