NBA Rookie of the Year Odds 2026-27: Boozer Leads, Lendeborg Surges, Peterson Drifts
Cameron Boozer is the favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year at +190 to +200 as of Wednesday, November 4, 2026, and the board looks nothing like it did on draft night. Yaxel Lendeborg, the 11th pick, has jumped from +1,800 to second at +210 to +300 on 21.5 points a game for Golden State, and Darryn Peterson, the No. 2 pick who was +350 in October, has drifted to +2,200 to +3,000. Caleb Wilson and Darius Acuff Jr. sit together at about +450, with AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 pick, at +750 to +1,000 after three games. Here is every contender at five books, the stat lines behind the prices and a check against Kalshi.
NBA Rookie of the Year odds for every contender
| Player | Team | Pick | Best price | Range | Kalshi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron Boozer | Grizzlies | No. 3 | +200 (bet365, BetMGM, Caesars) | +190 to +200 | 30% |
| Yaxel Lendeborg | Warriors | No. 11 | +300 (BetMGM) | +210 to +300 | 26% |
| Caleb Wilson | Bulls | No. 4 | +700 (FanDuel) | +375 to +700 | 11% |
| Darius Acuff Jr. | Kings | No. 7 | +500 (BetMGM) | +350 to +500 | 10% |
| AJ Dybantsa | Wizards | No. 1 | +1,000 (bet365, BetMGM) | +750 to +1,000 | 13% |
| Darryn Peterson | Jazz | No. 2 | +3,000 (Caesars) | +2,200 to +3,000 | 3% |
| Aday Mara | Thunder | No. 12 | +5,000 (FanDuel) | +3,000 to +5,000 | 1% |
| Keaton Wagler | Clippers | No. 5 | +8,000 (FanDuel) | +5,000 to +8,000 | under 1% |
| Mikel Brown Jr. | Nets | No. 6 | +8,000 (3 books) | +7,500 to +8,000 | under 1% |
Prices are from bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, Caesars and FanDuel on VegasInsider's live Rookie of the Year board. DraftKings had no price posted on Boozer, Wilson, Dybantsa or Brown, so their ranges come from the other four books. Kalshi is the Wednesday-morning midpoint, scaled so the market adds to 100%. The gap between the best and worst price on the same player, 325 points on Wilson, is the reason to compare sportsbooks before you place any futures bet. Our free plays for tonight's card are on the free picks page.
The rookie stat lines behind the odds
| Player | GP | Min | Pts | Reb | Ast | FG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darius Acuff Jr., Kings | 7 | 36.5 | 26.1 | 3.9 | 6.3 | 40.6 |
| Caleb Wilson, Bulls | 7 | 34.1 | 21.6 | 6.7 | 2.7 | 43.2 |
| Yaxel Lendeborg, Warriors | 8 | 31.9 | 21.5 | 7.0 | 3.9 | 50.0 |
| AJ Dybantsa, Wizards | 3 | 30.0 | 19.0 | 4.7 | 1.7 | 50.0 |
| Cameron Boozer, Grizzlies | 7 | 32.1 | 17.4 | 10.3 | 5.6 | 37.5 |
| Darryn Peterson, Jazz | 7 | 30.3 | 13.4 | 4.3 | 3.3 | 36.3 |
The market is not simply following points. Acuff leads every rookie at 26.1 a game and is priced fourth; Boozer scores 17.4 and is the favorite because he fills the whole box score (10.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists) on a Memphis team that is 6-1. Lendeborg is the efficiency story: 21.5 points on 50% shooting and 40% from three for a 5-3 Warriors team, including a 37-point game against the Clippers. Peterson is healthy and playing 30 minutes a night, but 13.4 points on 36% shooting is why the No. 2 pick fell from the top tier. Dybantsa did not debut until October 28 and has three games on his record.
Who wins Rookie of the Year? Draft slot is still the best clue
Every Rookie of the Year since 2018-19 was a top-four pick. The award goes to whoever puts up the biggest raw numbers, and the biggest numbers come from playing time and shots, which go to the players a front office just used a top pick on. This year the pattern is under pressure: Lendeborg (No. 11) and Acuff (No. 7) are second and fourth on the board, and both are getting the minutes a lottery pick would.
| Season | Winner | Team | Draft pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Cooper Flagg | Mavericks | No. 1 |
| 2024-25 | Stephon Castle | Spurs | No. 4 |
| 2023-24 | Victor Wembanyama | Spurs | No. 1 |
| 2022-23 | Paolo Banchero | Magic | No. 1 |
| 2021-22 | Scottie Barnes | Raptors | No. 4 |
| 2020-21 | LaMelo Ball | Hornets | No. 3 |
| 2019-20 | Ja Morant | Grizzlies | No. 2 |
| 2018-19 | Luka Doncic | Mavericks | No. 3 |
The contenders
Cameron Boozer, Grizzlies (+190 to +200)
Boozer came out of Duke as the No. 3 pick and has been the steadiest favorite since the market opened, moving from +300 in October to +200 now. He is averaging 17.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 32 minutes for a Grizzlies team that started 6-1, and the books agree within 10 cents of each other. Kalshi has him at 30%.
Yaxel Lendeborg, Warriors (+210 to +300)
The No. 11 pick is the biggest mover on the board: +900 to +1,800 in October, +210 to +300 now. Lendeborg is scoring 21.5 a game on 50% shooting with 7.0 rebounds in 32 minutes, and Golden State is 5-3. Caesars is the short book at +210; BetMGM at +300 is the price to shop for.
Caleb Wilson, Bulls (+375 to +700) and Darius Acuff Jr., Kings (+350 to +500)
Wilson, the No. 4 pick, is scoring 21.6 a game on 34 minutes for a 1-6 Chicago team, and the books disagree about him more than anyone: +375 at bet365, +700 at FanDuel. Acuff, the No. 7 pick, leads all rookies at 26.1 points and 6.3 assists in 36.5 minutes for the 1-6 Kings, yet sits fourth at +350 to +500, which says the books expect Boozer's all-around line and winning record to carry more weight with voters than raw scoring on a losing team.
AJ Dybantsa, Wizards (+750 to +1,000)
The No. 1 pick debuted on October 28 and has played three games, averaging 19.0 points on 50% shooting. The price drifted from +400 to +425 in October to +750 to +1,000 while he sat, and Kalshi still rates him third at 13%, higher than any sportsbook. If he keeps scoring like this, the sportsbook number is the one that moves.
Darryn Peterson, Jazz (+2,200 to +3,000)
Peterson was +340 to +350 in October and is +2,200 to +3,000 now. He is playing, 30.3 minutes a night across seven games, but 13.4 points on 36% shooting is the lowest scoring line among the top six picks. A No. 2 pick at +3,000 is unusual this early; it would take a sustained run of 20-point games to pull the price back.
Longer shots worth knowing
Aday Mara (+3,000 to +5,000) went 12th to Oklahoma City and is averaging 6.4 points in 18 minutes. Keaton Wagler (+5,000 to +8,000) went fifth to the Clippers and is at 12.1 points in 25 minutes. Mikel Brown Jr. (+7,500 to +8,000) went sixth to Brooklyn. For any of them to win, they would need a much bigger role, or injuries to the top five.
How to bet NBA Rookie of the Year odds
Rookie of the Year is a nice side bet, but most of our members' action is on the daily card. Our free picks are posted on the free picks page, and our premium picks and packages carry our money-back guarantee paid in G$P Bucks. For more on how player stats turn into bets, read our guide to NBA player props.
Rookies on bad teams get more shots and minutes, which is how Wilson and Acuff are scoring 21 and 26 a game for 1-6 teams. See where each rookie's team stands on our NBA win totals page.