2022 NBA Rookie of the Year Odds & Sleepers

 There have been so many impressive NBA rookies in the first few months of this new NBA season. And once again, it would appear that the race to the ROTY award is going to be a doozy. With all of the different players in the running, it will be hard to find a lucky winner.

Every game that teams play will ultimately go a long way toward determining things. There is actually a three-way tie at the top. Let’s start there.

Evan Mobley/Scottie Barnes/Cade Cunningham: +260

When odds last updated on November 30th, they had a three-way tie at the top. Unfortunately, records and winning percentages do not count when examining rookie of the year voting. If it did, Evan Mobley would be the early favorite, but he has not been able to gain any traction.

Mobley averages a few less points than Scottie Barnes, and a near-identical rebound total around eight per game. He blocks more than a shot and does the same in the steals category, in his per-game averages. He impacts winning like no other player from this class, and it truly is not even close.

Scottie Barnes has been awesome all year but has some flaws in his game too. His lack of a jumper has hurt the team, and they have struggled at times. As far as rebounding, playmaking, and ball-handling go though, he is as good as any player in Toronto.

Lastly is Cade Cunningham, who was out to begin the season. He has had some magnificent performances, but the shooting percentages have not come along yet. Cade averages 14-7-5, but makes just 36% of his shots and 27% of his triples. The Pistons will lose a whole lot all year, but he will not be responsible for much of it.

The odds will change constantly, but the three of them, all top-four picks, will remain in the ROTY conversation throughout the year. The Raptors opted for Barnes instead of Jalen Suggs, and are looking very smart for making such a decision.

Jalen Green: +650

Jalen Green has had some good moments for Houston, but he is nowhere near the best rookie this season. He is currently hurt and expected to miss several weeks, and is extremely one-dimensional in the stat categories. After a strong showing in the G-League a season ago, he fell to the #2 spot behind Cade.

Look for his season to be a good one when push comes to shove, but he is not helping his case by sitting with an injury. Green’s return may see him playing fewer minutes, due to the team wanting to be extra cautious for the future.

Josh Giddey: +1400

No underdogs will win the ROTY award, regardless of what happens. Franz Wagner, Chris Duarte, and Davion Mitchell are good players, but not near the top. Nor is talented OKC guard Josh Giddey, who has played well as a combo guard. Next to SGA, he does a lot of things that lead to winning plays/

Giddey is a joy to watch and is probably going to be an All-Rookie performer. But, he has no horse in this specific race.