A new season of the WNBA means a fresh, young crop of talent coming to the courts. It's time to look at what rookies are impressing in the league's first-ever 40-game season.
Twelve teams continue their battle to win the championship, and the worst of the previous season hope a budding star can help bring them there.
Who is favored to win the 2023 wNBA Rookie of the year?
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Aliyah Boston (Indiana) | -5000 |
| Diamond Miller (Minnesota) | +1000 |
| Jordan Horston (Seattle) | +4500 |
| Zia Cooke (Los Angeles) | +4500 |
| Dorka Juhaz (Minnesota) | +6000 |
| Haley Jones (Atlanta) | +6000 |
| Grace Berger (Indiana) | +6000 |
| Morgan Bertsch (Chicago) | +7500 |
| Ivana Dojkic (Seattle) | +7500 |
| Maddy Siegrist (Dallas) | +7500 |
Odds as of July 28
Aliyah Boston Running away with trophy
Being the first overall draft pick will definitely score you some credit with the oddsmakers. But, Boston made an immediate print in her first year playing pro.
She's not on a promising team in Indiana (6-18), but the 21-year-old manages to shine by averaging 14.4 PPG AND 7.8 rebounds in her 24 appearances. She's pocketing over 66% of her attempts beyond the arc.
Aliyah Boston fakes out her defender and gets to the rim for two! 😤 pic.twitter.com/M1ZcACKqK2
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) July 27, 2023
Her efforts got her an invite to this year's All-Star Game as she became the eighth rookie in WNBA history to get the honor and the first since Shoni Schimmel in 2014.
But, even before joining the big leagues, all eyes were on Boston for the last couple of years. And here's why:
The Indiana Fever selected South Carolina star Aliyah Boston with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA draft on Monday evening.
— The Black Wall Street Times (@TheBWSTimes) May 15, 2023
https://t.co/UTTxjT8A5X
The South Carolina Gamecock is the definition of a well-rounded player. In her collegiate career, she proved sink baskets, averaging 13 points and 9.8 rebounds per game last season. Riding with South Carolina on its previous 42-game undefeated reign, she shot a shining 54.8 percent from the field. Mind you, those are numbers she put up while being heavily covered by her college opponents.
Boston is just as brute defensively as she is offensively. In her last two seasons in the NCAA, she was named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, pinning her a reliable two-way player.
ALIYAH BOSTON DAMN BLOCK! #WNBA #WNBATwitter pic.twitter.com/Nd5MzNtPOo
— Tyler DeLuca (@TylerDeLuca) July 27, 2023
Value pick: Zia Cooke (+4500)
It's hard to imagine the award doesn't land in the hands of Boston. But, we'll sift for some possible profit anyways. Maybe I'm biased with the South Carolina gals because I was going feral rooting for the Gamecocks in Women's March Madness this year. I mean, before they fell to Caitlin Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes in the Final Four.
You can't deny greatness from anyone that was a crucial member of a group that ranked No. 1 for 36 consecutive weeks.
The Ohio native was hot from the jump in her college career, starting in 33 games in her freshman season. She was a part of the All-SEC in three years and averaged 15.4 points per game.
A pickup on a struggling Los Angeles (9-15) team, Cooke hasn't been given the best opportunity so far. Her stats may not reflect it, but she has potential to make a difference on the court when given the ball.
Zia Cooke reverse layup on her former teammate Aliyah Boston 👏🏾#WNBA pic.twitter.com/IhH8GFJBe8
— TimeoutSPORTS__ (@TimeoutSPORTS3) July 27, 2023
Drafted 10th overall by the Sparks, at +4500 this could happen. But, I'm still riding with Boston all the way.
Zia Cooke in her 1st Preseason game:
— Women’s Hoopz (@WBBWorldWide) May 13, 2023
12 PTS | 3 REB | 2 AST | 50% FG
The LA Sparks defeat the Phoenix Mercury 90-71! #WNBA | @LASparks pic.twitter.com/LfX04JkUdT
Last 10 wNBA Rookie of the year winners
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Rhyne Howard (Atlanta) |
| 2021 | Michaela Onyenwere (New York) |
| 2020 | Crystal Dangerfield (Minnesota) |
| 2019 | Napheesa Collier (Minnesota) |
| 2018 | A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas) |
| 2017 | Allisha Gray (Dallas) |
| 2016 | Breanna Stewart (Seattle) |
| 2015 | Jewell Loyd (Seattle) |
| 2014 | Chiney Ogwumike (Connecticut) |
| 2013 | Elena Delle Donne (Chicago) |
How To Read WNBA Rookie Of The Year Odds
Online sportsbooks will list WNBA Rookie Of The Year odds to look would look similar to this:
- Aliyah Boston -200
- Diamond Miller +225
- Maddy Siegrist +750
The minus sign (-) indicates who the odds consider the favorite. In this case, it’s the Indiana Fevers Aliyah Boston at -200. Every other player who’s listed is considered an underdog.
If you believe Boston will win the WNBA Rookie Of The Year and you bet $100 and it happens, you would win $150 according to our Odds Calculator – your $100 is returned and you would gain $50 in profit.
And you’ve never bet on WNBA basketball before, no sweat! Check out our How To Bet WNBA guide to get you up to speed.
Related News
