Morant Still ROY Favorite as Barrett Closes Gap at +300; Herro Shortens to +900
By Robert Duff in NBA Basketball
Updated: March 25, 2020 at 3:19 pm EDTPublished:
- Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is the +275 favorite to win NBA rookie of the year
- Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans and RJ Barrett of the New York Knicks are co-second betting choices at +300
- Pau Gasol (2001-02) is the only Grizzlies player to ever be named NBA ROY
It’s very early in the season but Ja Morant is ruling over the NBA’s rookie class.
To some, this is not surprising.
The knee injury that’s costing 2019 NBA first overall draft pick Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans the first month of the season has thrown the race for Rookie of the Year wide open. But even before that happened, there were those in the basketball community who felt that Morant was capable of unseating Zion for the honors.
Morant is showing why there was such opinion, and he’s winning over the wagering world as well.
Morant is the slight chalk over Williamson and R.J. Barrett of the New York Knicks in the 2019-20 NBA ROY odds at +275.
2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year Odds
| Player (Team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Ja Morant (Grizzlies) | +275 |
| RJ Barrett (Knicks) | +300 |
| Zion Williamson (Knicks) | +300 |
| Rui Hachimura (Wizards) | +500 |
| Tyler Herro (Heat) | +900 |
| Coby White (Bulls) | +1200 |
| Darius Garland (Cavaliers) | +2000 |
| PJ Washington (Hornets) | +2000 |
| Matisse Thybulle (76ers) | +2500 |
Odds taken on November 1, 2019.
Williamson and Barrett remain hot on his heels as the co-second betting choice at +300.
Ja Rules
Coming from Murray State, a mid-major in the Ohio Valley Conference, would there be an adjustment period for Murray? Might he be engulfed by the depth of talent in the NBA’s Western Conference?
Apparently not.
Ja Morant is the third player with a 30-pt, 9-ast game within his first three games. pic.twitter.com/rfcL8vtugp
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 28, 2019
In his third NBA game, Morant went head-to-head with veteran guard Kyrie Irving of the Booklyn Nets. Morant finished with 30 points and nine assists, joining Trae Young and Isiah Thomas as the only players in league history to turn in such a performance in one of their first three games in the NBA.
JA. MORANT. CLUTCH.
Hits the game-tying bucket, then blocks Kyrie to send it to OT‼️ pic.twitter.com/wTncKTuHEm
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 28, 2019
In that game, he hit the tying basket, then blocked Irving’s shot at the buzzer to send it to overtime. The Grizzlies posted their first win of the season in OT. Morant earned the dime on Jae Crowder’s OT-winning basket.
Through four games, Morant is averaging 17.5 points per game and five assists per game.
Barrett Bodes Well
Williamson’s teammate at Duke, Barrett, drafted third overall behind Zion and Morant, is also off to an impressive start. His per-game averages are 18.2 points and 6.4 rebounds.
Per @bball_ref,
Only two players in NBA history have tallied at least 60 points, 15 rebounds and 5 made 3-pointers over their first three career games:
* Kevin Durant (2007)
* RJ Barrett (2019) https://t.co/SIWMicYY5p— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) October 27, 2019
Barrett poured in 26 points against the Boston Celtics, and if you want to endear yourself to the Knicks’ faithful, lighting up the Celtics is a solid approach.
Herro’s Welcome
Joining the crowded rookie race in what can only be termed a bumper crop of first-year talent is Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (+900). Just 19, he delivered 29 points off the bench against the Atlanta Hawks, shooting seven-for-nine from the field.
I hear @raf_tyler is a bucket https://t.co/Wdc8PP7Jyc
— John Calipari (@CoachCalArk) October 30, 2019
Herro’s night included a 19-point second quarter, the best period posted by a Heat rookie since Caron Butler also scored 19 in 2003.
It’s Ja or Zion
As much as there’s a plethora of rookies to get excited about, this race will come down to Morant or Zion at the finish line.
Memphis is running its offense through Morant. Yes, he’s committing five turnovers a game, and that’s not good. But the thing is, he’ll be allowed to make those mistakes and keep on playing, making the spectacular plays that will ultimately gain him ROY votes.
it’s a marathon not a sprint 🏁
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) October 26, 2019
Like a late closer in a horse race, Zion must make up ground fast. He’ll need to hit the hardwood running and gunning once he gets back to health.
There might not be enough time to close the gap.
Pick: Ja Morant (Grizzlies) +275.
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
