2017-18 NBA Rookie of the Year Futures Odds

Written by: Mark This entry was posted on Saturday, July 15th, 2017

The NBA offseason has kept the entire league busy, especially with the new recruits from this year’s NBA Draft getting a chance to show what they’re made of at the Summer League games. As such, experts and oddsmakers alike have gotten an initial feel for each of the rookies, and the folks over in Vegas have then released the early odds on who’s favored to win the 2017-18 Rookie of the Year Award when the upcoming season’s dust has settled.

Only one out of the top-five draftees from this year’s class is currently situated in the top three of the oddsmakers’ lists. Find out more about those three prime candidates for the ROY Award below, as well as the complete listing of odds for all of the rookies. And if you’re still in search of a viable sportsbook site for your betting thrills, head on over to our very own sportsbook review section for some tried and tested online bookies.

2017-18 NBA Rookie of the Year Futures Odds

Lonzo Ball (+350)

Often criticized and ridiculed mainly because his father LaVar, Lonzo Ball has actually been the one rookie who has given the best impression during Summer League competition. The standout out of UCLA dropped a triple-double stat line in his second Summer League game for the Lakers, and most recently in his third outing, Ball erupted for a game-high 36 points against the 76ers.

While Ball is getting a ton of press in large part due to his father’s antics, it would be foolish nonetheless to overlook his stunning performances in Summer League play. We’re getting a good glimpse of what Ball can do for his hometown team of Los Angeles, and it seems that the oddsmakers are just as high with his small body of work at the pro level just the same.

Ben Simmons (+360)

Speaking of the Sixers, many of us may have forgotten that the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Ben Simmons, is eligible for the ROY Award this season after missing the entire 2016-17 campaign due to a severe foot injury.

The Australia-born forward out of LSU may not have the glowing reviews as Ball from Summer League action, but his first and only season in college with the Tigers speaks volumes of his potential to bust unto the NBA scene a year after his supposed professional debut. Simmons averaged a double-double line of 19.2 points and 11.8 rebounds in 33 games for Louisiana State in 2015-16 and with an impressive 56-percent field-goal percentage to boot from his lone campaign in The Bayou.

Dennis Smith Jr. (+500)

NC State’s Dennis Smith Jr. fell on the Dallas Mavericks’ laps at the No. 9 spot of this year’s NBA Draft, but the eight teams before the Mavericks may be kicking themselves for cutting the 19-year-old point guard short.

The Mavs are undefeated in Summer League action thus far, and they have none other than Smith to thank for their success. The North Carolina native has averaged 20 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists through four Summer League games and is looking more and more like an NBA-ready point guard by the day. Although Smith will get a taste of real NBA action during the regular season itself, his solid output from playing with his young and up-and-coming peers is still a positive sign that he has the right tools and skill set required to become a true superstar in the big leagues.

Complete List of Odds