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Updated ROY Odds Very Bullish on Zion, Listed as +200 Favorite

Angelo Montilla

by Angelo Montilla in NBA Basketball

Updated Mar 31, 2020 · 12:04 PM PDT

Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans is the +200 favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2020. Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire.
  • Zion’s timetable for a return to the court still weeks away
  • First overall pick in 2019 went from +300 to the +200 favorite in latest NBA ROY odds
  • Morant next favorite at +325, but Barrett offers more value at +350

Zion Williamson’s road to recovery from a knee injury is right on track but the New Orleans Pelicans star is still facing a lengthy timetable before returning to the hardcourt.

In the third week of a 6-8 week forecast for a potential return from knee surgery, Zion could be back in the Pelicans’ starting line-up by early December.

That hasn’t stopped oddsmakers from listing Williamson as the favorite in its updated NBA Rookie of the Year odds.

2020 NBA Rookie of the Year Odds

Player Odds
Zion Williamson (Pelicans) +200
Ja Morant (Grizzlies) +325
RJ Barrett (Knicks) +350
Kenrick Nunn (Heat) +700
Rui Hachimura (Wizards) +900
Tyler Herro (Heat) +1000
Coby White (Bulls) +1600
Darius Garland (Cavaliers) +2000
DeAndre Hunter (Hawks) +3300

Odds taken Nov. 4

Before tearing his lateral meniscus, Williamson was the odds-on favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year, listed at -140 on October 9. However, after suffering the injury, which required surgery to repair, Zion’s odds lengthened to +300 on Oct. 22 and stayed at that price on November 1.

Zion’s recovery is on track and the power forward has also been seen on the sidelines sporting a single crutch to get around. There’s even been some speculation Williamson could return sooner than expected, which may be the reason why odds are very bullish on him winning the NBA ROY this season despite not even having played a game.

Ja Morant’s Odds Slip to +275

Before the latest odds were released, Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant overtook Zion as the favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award.

Through five games this season, Morant has proved he should be a top-three candidate for the award, averaging 18.8 points per game, which ranks second among all rookie players so far.

The second overall selection in 2019, Morant initially opened at +400 but saw his odds shorten over time to its most current price of +275.

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Morant has run hot and cold in five games, scoring a high of 30 points in a 134-133 win over the Brooklyn Nets and a low of 10 points in a 110-102 loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Despite a strong start to the season, Knicks forward RJ Barrett’s odds also fell on the latest NBA Rookie of the Year board.

Barrett did see his odds shorten from +500 to +300 in the last set of odds on November 1. But the Knicks rookie saw his odds drop slightly to +350 as Zion moved up the board.

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Barrett Flying Under the Radar for NBA ROY

In seven games played this season, Barrett ranks third among rookie scorers with 18.3 points per game and second in rebounds per game with 6.3.

Both Morant and Barrett have the best chance to compete for the NBA Rookie of the Year with Zion on the mend.

However, another player that made a big move on the odds board is Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn, who leads all rookies in scoring with 19.5 points per game heading into action on Monday night.

Nunn did not have odds until November 1 when the undrafted rookie opened as a +1000 longshot to win the award. Nunn is now listed at +700 and has the fourth-best odds after Zion, Morant and Barrett.

Nunn’s odds will likely fade when he comes back to Earth offensively, which doesn’t make him an enticing bet this early into the season.

Hachimura, Herro Remain Longshots at This Point

Two other longshots you may want to watch closely are Rui Hachimura (+900) of the Washington Wizards and Nunn’s Heat teammate Tyler Herro (+1000). Hachimura saw a huge drop in odds going from +500 on November 1 to his current +900 price in the latest odds.

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There hasn’t been much to cheer about early on for the New York Knicks, but the play of Barrett has been a positive for the long-time struggling franchise. Williamson is at a disadvantage based on lost games and it’ll be tough for the No. 1 pick to get back on track offensively when he does eventually return from injury.

Barrett is starting to get in a groove and it’ll only be a matter of time before the Knicks’ rising star leads all rookies in scoring.

Pick: RJ Barrett (+350)

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