Michael Porter Jr. Getting 30-1 Odds to Win 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year Award After Missing 1st Pro Season
By Ryan Bolta in NBA Basketball
Updated: March 24, 2020 at 9:06 am EDTPublished:
- Zion Williamson is the favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year honors after being selected first overall by the New Orleans Pelicans
- Ja Morant was selected second by the Memphis Grizzlies and has the second best odds
- Michael Porter Jr. did not play last season due to injury and is getting longshot odds despite having some serious game
Zion Williamson is the favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, that’s no surprise. He’s also offering little to no value, also no surprise.
2020 NBA Rookie of the Year Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Zion Williamson | -250 |
| Ja Morant | +500 |
| RJ Barrett | +600 |
| Darius Garland | +1200 |
| DeAndre Hunter | +1800 |
| Jarrett Culver | +2500 |
| Michael Porter Jr | +3000 |
| Cameron Reddish | +3500 |
| Coby White | +3500 |
| Jaxson Hayes | +3500 |
*Odds taken 06/21/19
When you look deeper into the odds and ends however, there are two players in particular you need to take a look at.
👀@Zionwilliamson x @PelicansNBA jerseys hit the shelves @NBASTORE NYC! pic.twitter.com/njHsyTNbxQ
— NBA Store (@NBASTORE) June 21, 2019
Morant Ready to Shine in Memphis
When the Memphis Grizzlies shipped Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz it was a clear message that Ja Morant is going to play early and play often in his freshman season. To win Rookie of the Year you need to not only have game, but the ability to create buzz. When you see Morant on SportsCenter all year throwing down massive dunks, his hype train is going to pick up a lot of steam.
A dream come true. Ja Morant was the No. 2 pick in last night's #NBADraft & officially a face of the @memgrizz! 🐻👏 pic.twitter.com/zxa8QXjc3a
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 21, 2019
Sure, Williamson will be doing the same, but if it’s a two horse race and you have the one paying +500 that’s not a very bad bet now is it? Williamson also already said he won’t perform in the dunk contest as a rookie, if Morant does and shines he could gain the following needed to win this award in an upset.
Can Porter Contribute for the Nuggets?
Michael Porter Jr. is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Ben Simmons and Blake Griffin – two players who missed an entire season but won the NBA Rookie of the Year trophy after finally getting on the floor. Porter didn’t play at all for the Nuggets last season, but is set to play in summer league and could be a key piece for a team that was one win away from the Western Conference Final this past season.
Denver is drafting a second straight rehab project — Michael Porter Jr., and now Bol Bol. Porter Jr., was a redshirt with the Nuggets and has showed the tremendous promise of his high school career in recent months. Now, Denver turns its attention to Bol.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 21, 2019
He’s a 6’10” small forward who was the top player in the 2018 class entering college, but was injured minutes into his debut for Missouri. He was a top talent that ending up falling to 14th overall because of the injury concerns.
Porter is worth betting on now before the ball tips off for next season and people realize how good he is.
Well, Denver is about to get rewarded for their patience. Adding Porter to Nikola Jokic could be one of the most exciting dynamic duos in the league which, like Morant, could lead to the hype needed to win an award like this. At +3000 he’s worth betting on now before the ball tips off for next season and people realize how good he is.
Sports Writer
Ryan has been working at TSN for over eleven years, and is now a lead writer and content producer at That's Hockey. Over the years, he's launched and hosted TSN's first NCAAF podcast, The College Football Show, and been featured on the likes of TSN 1050, Sportscentre, and That's Hockey 2Nite.
