2020-21 NBA Rookie of the Year Odds: Ball Is The Early Fave

The 2020 NBA Draft has concluded with Anthony Edwards being selected with the first pick, but he’s edged out by LaMelo Ball, the third pick in the draft, as the favorite in early 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year odds.

The best basketball betting sites wasted no time releasing NBA Rookie of the Year odds following the NBA draft and Ball sits as the +400 fave to win the hardware in his first season with the Charlotte Hornets. Edwards is right behind him at +450 and will try to make an impact on the Minnesota Timberwolves in his rookie season.

Following this duo is the second overall pick, James Wiseman at +500, who will need to learn on the fly with the Golden State Warriors and could make an immediate impression with the former dynasty.

Here are the newly released NBA Rookie of the Year odds for 2021:

Who Will Win NBA Rookie Of The Year in 2021?

Odds as of November 19 at Bovada

Why LaMelo Ball Is The ROY Favorite

LaMelo Ball deserves to be the early favorite for the NBA Rookie of the Year odds mainly based on a combination of opportunity and ability. The six-foot-seven guard is a playmaker who’s joining a Hornets squad that is devoid of high-end talent and desperate for an identity.

In this offense, Ball will be given the green light to shoot in every game. While he’ll have to share a backcourt with Terry Rozier and Devonte’ Graham, the good news is all three are pretty good at playing off the ball. If he can average 17 points and eight assists a night while shooting over 35 percent from behind the arc, he could nail this award down by the midway point of the season.

That being said, there’s a reason Anthony Edwards is right behind him at +450 and it’s because of how the Timberwolves could do in 2021. Minnesota has the pieces in place now to contend in the Western Conference and Edwards’ skill set fits right in with the T-Wolves’ needs.

Having a strong shot-maker on the wing is something the ‘Wolves have been craving ever since they traded for Andrew Wiggins. The Wiggins experiment obviously blew up in their face but if Edwards plays his role and hits shots and Minnesota makes the playoffs, he’ll be one of the main reasons for the Timberwolves’ success.

ROY Long-Shot Pick To Consider

The one dark horse that bettors need to consider in NBA Rookie of the Year odds is Cole Anthony of the Orlando Magic. Anthony was picked 14th overall and on the surface he may seem like a long shot for NBA Rookie of the Year at +6000.

Much like Ball and Edwards (and NBA rookie of the year odds in general), it’s all about talent and opportunity, and Anthony has both. The freshman point guard out of North Carolina was a top-five recruit coming out of high school and has all the offensive gifts to make a splash with the Magic.

Another factor is the Magic’s backcourt depth, which is horrible on paper. Markelle Fultz, D.J. Augustin, Evan Fournier and Michael Carter-Williams might be the worst guard rotation in the NBA and only Fournier could be legitimately counted on to hit an outside shot. The Magic need a strong infusion of talent and Anthony fits the bill to be a microwave scorer off the bench or lead them as a combo guard and hit shots from behind the arc. At +6000, these odds are too good to pass up.

Understanding NBA Rookie of the Year Odds

When you go to any basketball sportsbook, you’ll see prop odds displayed like this:

LaMelo Ball +400

Anthony Edwards +450

James Wiseman +500

You’ll see that Ball is the front-runner because he has the lowest number beside his name. In this scenario, he is considered to be the slight favorite over Edwards, who is listed at +450.

If you think Edwards will win Rookie of the Year, and you bet $100 on him, you’d get a payout of $550 – your original money is returned coupled with your winnings of $450. To find out what you’d get based on the odds and betting amount, check out our Odds Calculator.

What is a Prop Bet on NBA Rookies?

Any bet that is made on the occurrence or non-occurrence of certain player or team milestones that don’t necessarily correlate to the result of a particular game is a prop. In this case, you’re betting on a player’s chances of winning Rookie of the Year.

The oddsmakers will move the lines as the season progresses. As more games are played and different players show their skills on the court, the odds will shift. If you see odds you like, it’s best to take them early so you can get the most value should you win your bet.