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Dalton Knecht Rookie of the Year Odds Skyrocket Following 37-Point Performance

Los Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht has seen his NBA Rookie of the Year odds jump after an insane shooting display.

Peter Dewey

Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht is now second in the NBA Rookie of the Year odds.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht is now second in the NBA Rookie of the Year odds. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht turned in one of the best shooting performances of the season on Tuesday night, hitting 12-of-16 shots (9-for-12 from 3) on his way to a 37-point game in the Lakers' win over the Utah Jazz in the NBA Cup.

Following the game, Knecht's odds to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award shot up, moving from +2500 last week all the way to +225 at BetMGM Sportsbook.

While Knecht isn't the favorite -- that honor currently is for Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain -- the former University of Tennessee star is making a case for a bigger role in J.J. Redick's rotation.

NBA Rookie of the Year Odds for 2024-25 Season

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

  • Jared McCain: +180
  • Dalton Knecht: +300
  • Zaccharie Risacher: +700
  • Carlton Carrington: +1200
  • Zach Edey: +1500
  • Stephon Castle: +2200

There haven't been a lot of rookies -- outside of McCain -- that have thrived immediately in their first season, but Knecht has solid numbers for a player who has mainly been coming off the bench.

He's averaging 11.3 points per game while shooting 52.3 percent from the field and 46.4 percent from beyond the arc.

If Redick decides to start Knecht alongside LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves going forward, he could see even more open looks as the season goes on. After falling out of the lottery in the 2024 NBA Draft, Knecht is showing a lot of teams that they passed on an elite sharpshooter early on in his NBA career.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

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Peter Dewey
PETER DEWEY

Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.

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