NBA Rookie of the Year Odds for 2024-25 Season: Zach Edey, Reed Sheppard Lead Wide Open Race

Breaking down the latest odds for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award, with lottery picks Zach Edey and Reed Sheppard leading the way.

Grizzlies' Zach Edey. / Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the most exciting awards markets in the 2024-25 NBA season is going to be the Rookie of the Year – even though the 2024 NBA Draft did not feature a surefire superstar. 

No player enters the 2024-25 season with shorter than +550 odds, meaning bettors can wager on a few candidates and still come out up money they end up selecting the winner. 

Last season, Victor Wembanayama won the Rookie of the Year over Chet Holmgren and Brandon Miller, but he came into the season at +100 to win the award. So, there was far less value in taking Wemby – even though he did end up winning the award – than there is in taking the favorite (Zach Edey) this season. 

The NBA has a 65-game threshold needed for several major season awards, but it’s important to note that DOES NOT apply to the Rookie of the Year award. So, there should be no fear of injury completely ruining a case if a player can still suit up for the majority of the season. 

Some recent moves have certainly affected this market, as the Minnesota Timberwolves’ addition of Donte DiVincenzo limits Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr.’s cases a bit, while an injury to San Antonio Spurs wing Devin Vassell may allow Stephon Castle a chance to earn some more minutes in the early going of the season. 

There’s plenty of players to consider in this market, and I’ve broken down the case for many of the top contenders in the 2024-25 campaign. 

2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year Odds

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

• Zach Edey: +550
• Reed Sheppard: +700
• Zaccharie Risacher: +850
• Alexandre Sarr: +1000
• Stephon Castle: +1000
• Matas Buzelis: +1000
• Dalton Knecht: +1100
• Carlton Carrington: +1100
• Donovan Clingan: +1600
• Rob Dillingham: +1700
• Ron Holland II: +2000
• Cody Williams: +2500
• Kel’el Ware: +3500
• Tidjane Salaun: +3500
• Jared McCain: +3500
• Terrence Shannon Jr.: +4000

No other player is listed at shorter than +6000 odds (Isaiah Collier) in this market. For the full odds, head to DraftKings Sportsbook!

Zach Edey Rookie of the Year Odds

Edey appears to be walking into the starting center spot in the Memphis Grizzlies’ rotation, a role that Steven Adams had a ton of success in before injuring his knee a few seasons ago. 

Edey’s defensive limitations (can he switch on anyone on the perimeter?) are going to be a concern, but he’s a matchup nightmare at his size and with his touch in the paint. 

Plus, the big man should block a lot of shots playing alongside Jaren Jackson Jr. in what should be a tough defensive frontcourt to beat. While he won’t be the No. 1 option on his team – he’ll be far from it – Edey still has a path to consistent playing time on what is expected to be a playoff team. 

Reed Sheppard Rookie of the Year Odds

Reed Sheppard put on a show during Summer League (small sample size, I know) and he should compete for bench guard minutes on a young Houston team. 

But, that’s also the problem. 

The Rockets have Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Jalen Green, Aaron Holiday, Dillon Brooks and others competing for minutes at the one and two spots, which could make his role a little inconsistent at times.

A great shooter at Kentucky (Sheppard shot 52.1 percent from 3), Sheppard is an underrated defender that averaged 2.5 steals per game in his lone college season. That should help him crack Ime Udoka’s rotation, but without a starting role – unless FVV gets hurt – Sheppard is going to face an uphill battle to produce massive counting stats that other rookies may have a better chance to do. 

Zaccharie Risacher Rookie of the Year Odds

A No. 1 pick that is No. 3 in the odds and significantly behind the favorite? 

That’s what we have in Risacher, who is looked at as a little bit more of a project. Atlanta jumped up in the lottery to land the top pick, and that’s not exactly the best sign for Risacher for multiple reasons – even with the Dejounte Murray trade this summer.

Atlanta doesn’t control its own pick in the 2025 NBA Draft (San Antonio does), so there’s no reason for the Hawks to lean fully into development and tank. 

Plus, their best player outside of Trae Young is wing Jalen Johnson, and they added another wing in Dyson Daniels in the Murray trade. 

Maybe Risacher sneaks into the starting lineup, but he’ll also have former lottery pick De’Andre Hunter competing for minutes – a player the Hawks would love to move if he can get his trade value up. 

With uncertainties around Risacher’s role and the overall readiness of his offensive game, he’s not a player I’m rushing to back at this price. 

Alexandre Sarr Rookie of the Year Odds

Alexandre Sarr turned in an 0-for-15 game shooting the ball in Summer League, showing why he’s viewed much more as a defensive prospect – right now. 

Washington added veteran center Jonas Valanciunas in free agency this offseason, and it traded for Marvin Bagley III last season. A team that should be prioritizing development, the Wizards should play Sarr a lot, but they also may want to showcase Valanciunas for a potential deadline deal. 

On a bad team, Sarr is a little more attractive of an option to at least put up counting stats – even if it doesn't lead to winning. 

Stephon Castle Rookie of the Year Odds

It’ll be interesting to see what Stephon Castle’s role is for the Spurs after the team signed veteran Chris Paul, but Devin Vassell’s injury that will keep him out for the first few games could open up some playing time for the No. 4 overall pick.

Castle is a solid two-way player that showed an ability to fit into a system at UConn. Playing off of Wemby, he could be an explosive guard on an improved Spurs team. Castle’s path to playing time is much better than some of the other rookies on this list. 

Matas Buzelis Rookie of the Year Odds

A trendy pick to win Rookie of the Year, Buzelis was once in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft before falling to the Chicago Bulls. 

Chicago could be a tanking team, and if it moves on from Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, Buzelis may end up playing a big role in the 2024-25 season. 

Dalton Knecht Rookie of the Year Odds

I’m staying far away from Dalton Knecht at this current price. 

According to Lakers insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic, J.J. Redick wants to play a nine-man rotation, and Buha projects the bench unit to feature Max Christie, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent and Jaxson Hayes, leaving Knecht as the 10th man – or the odd man out. 

Sure, Knecht may play early in the season with Vanderbilt banged up, but his path to playing time is not set in stone enough to justify this price. 

Carlton Carrington Rookie of the Year Odds

Cartlon “Bub” Carrington is one of my favorite targets in this market, as he’s playing on a bad Washington Wizards team that let guard Tyus Jones walk this offseason.

Could Carrington walk into a starting role alongside Jordan Poole? Malcolm Brogdon is in the way, but the Wizards – as I mentioned with Sarr – should be 100 percent prioritizing their development this season. 

After a strong Summer League, Carrington’s odds have surged in this market, and he’s an attractive player to bet +1100. 

Rob Dillingham Rookie of the Year Odds

Dillingham should have a bench role for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the addition of Donte DiVincenzo limits his ceiling in a big way.

Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards and DiVincenzo should get the majority of the minutes at the 1 and 2, leaving Dillingham with a much smaller role than originally projected. 

A Conley injury could make the former Kentucky guard interesting in this market, but he’s trending down ahead of the 2024-25 regular season. 

Kel’el Ware Rookie of the Year Odds

A star in the Summer League, Ware’s best path to playing time is behind All-Defensive center Bam Adebayo, and according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, he’s not likely to have the Jaime Jaquez Jr. path to playing time in his first season.

Winderman recently compared Ware’s development to Nikola Jovic, who played sparingly as a rookie before taking on a big role in his second season. 

He’s a stay away in this market until we see how much time he’s earning in Erik Spoelstra’s rotation.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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