Rui Hachimura’s NBA Rookie of the Year Odds Shorten From 40-1 to 25-1
- The odds of Washington Wizards’ forward Rui Hachimura winning NBA Rookie of the Year adjusted from +4000 to +2500 since July 3
- Hachimura became the first Japanese player selected in the first round of the NBA Draft when the Wizards chose him ninth overall
- New Orleans Pelicans’ forward Zion Williamson remains the odds-on -135 favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award
Rui Hachimura already made NBA history this summer.
The 21-year-old forward was the first Japanese player to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft when the Washington Wizards took him with the ninth overall pick. A star at Gonzaga, Hachimura was named WCC Player of the Year.
But could he also win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award?
2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year Odds
| Player (Team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Zion Williamson (Pelicans) | -135 |
| Ja Morant (Grizzlies) | +300 |
| RJ Barrett (Knicks) | +500 |
| Darius Garland (Cavaliers) | +1600 |
| Michael Porter Jr (Nuggets) | +1800 |
| Coby White (Bulls) | +1800 |
| DeAndre Hunter (Hawks) | +2500 |
| Jarrett Culver (Timberwolves) | +2500 |
| Rui Hachimura (Wizards) | +2500 |
*Odds taken on 08/08/19
The odds of that happening are growing shorter by the day. A cross section of leading sportsbooks shows that Hachimura’s 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year odds have shortened from +4000 to +2500 since July 3.
Hachimura won the Julius Erving Award as the NCAA’s top small forward.
Hachimura History Lesson
No less than 61 credentialed Japanese media tracked Hachimura’s every move during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
That narrative is guaranteed to bring him attention, and the abysmal condition of the Wizards is certain to provide him opportunity to shine.
With John Wall injured and expected to miss most, if not all of the 2019-20 NBA season, that leaves guard Bradley Beal as Washington’s only reliable scoring option.
If Hachimura can average around 18 points and eight rebounds per game, he’s in with an NBA ROY chance.
Could Zion Falter?
Looking back at the last 20 NBA ROY winners, nine were first overall draft picks like New Orleans Pelicans’ forward Zion Williamson, the overwhelming -135 chalk to win the award. That means there’s a 45-percent chance he takes it.
Zion Williamson is quite the team-first guy ?#pelicans pic.twitter.com/B1TtWXBXuy
— Pelicans Nation (@PelsNationCP) August 4, 2019
Having undergone wholesale roster changes, New Orleans is clearly a team in transition. How will that impact upon Williamson’s overall numbers?
And as much as No. 1 picks have dominated the award, the fact of the matter is that Karl-Anthony Towns (2015-16) is the last first overall choice to cop NBA ROY.
Better Sleepers Than Hachimura
If you’re looking for a price on NBA ROY, Hachimura shouldn’t be the first option.
A curious option could be Denver Nuggets’ small forward Michael Porter Jr at +1800. He sat out all of last season after undergoing back surgery. How much will a redshirt NBA season allow him to quickly assimilate into a key role with a good team?
Rookie photo shoot in the books ?@JaMorant | @brandonclarke23 pic.twitter.com/U1nYQbf2nr
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) August 1, 2019
Right behind Williamson, guard Ja Morant became the face of the Memphis Grizzlies when Michael Conley Jr was traded to Utah. He’s going to be the go-to guy in Memphis, looks to be NBA ready, and will put up huge numbers.
Pick: Ja Morant (Grizzlies) +300
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.
