NBA Odds: Holmgren Overtakes Wembanyama As Rookie Of The Year Favorite – originally posted on Sportslens.com

When the 2023-24 NBA season started, the push for the Rookie of the Year award was predicted to be a two-man race. Victor Wembanyama was the overall and overwhelming favorite with some outlets putting -500 odds on him taking home the hardware, but Chet Holmgren was also a consideration, though with far longer odds. But after the first month or so of play, the two have switched places, and Holmgren is now the overall favorite as we enter the month of December.

NBA Odds: Wembanyama No Longer The ROY Favorite

Chet Holmgren is the new betting favorite to win ROTY over Victor Wembanyama.

Who is your money on? pic.twitter.com/k1CmcL1F8c

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 29, 2023

Wembanyama has seen a slight dip in his production since his solid first five games of the season, but the #1 overall pick for the San Antonio Spurs is still putting up solid numbers. He is averaging 19.2 points on the season to go with just shy of 10 rebounds, and blocks 2.6 shots per game. He has shown us flashes of athletic brilliance that give us a glimpse in to what his dynamic skill set might be like down the road, but his team as a whole has struggled mightily.

The Spurs’ 12-game losing streak is the second-longest current streak in the NBA, as they haven’t won a game since November 2nd. There are plenty of issues to point fingers at for the futility, and Wembanyama has things to work on himself. But when it comes to player award voting, team performance often matters, and San Antonio is in the league’s basement after the first month.

Record Matters In Award Voting

Victor Wembanyama is leading all rookies in points per game and total points. He’s leading in rebounds per game and total rebounds. He’s leading in blocks per game and total blocks. Lastly, he’s leading in steals per game and total steals. IMO, ROY!!! pic.twitter.com/mBqAuV6uO5

— PJ Hoops (@RealPjHoops) November 29, 2023

A team that is on the opposite end of the spectrum in the Western Conference is the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are tied for the third-best record in the conference at 11-6. They were in second place before their two most recent losses, but OKC is looking like they will be a playoff contender deep into March and April.

One of their biggest producers has been Holmgren. The Gonzaga product was actually drafted in 2022, but never played during his initial rookie campaign due to a season ending injury. That carries his rookie status over to this year, and he has put up numbers similar to Wembanyama’s, though Holmgren is a far better three-point shooter at the moment.

At BetOnline, the odds for Wemanyama taking home the trophy currently sit at +100, which is the first time that he has been in plus-money so far this year. Holmgren is now the favorite, coming in with a designation of -140.

The two sides have already faced off in a contest earlier this season, though they both underperformed. They won’t meet again until January 24th, which is a game that will be broadcast on ABC.

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