It will come as no surprise that Zion Williamson is the odds-on favorite to win Rookie of the Year this upcoming season. That's been the likely case since the very early stages of last year's college basketball season.
The Pelicans phenom is a -140 favorite at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook to take home the hardware next season, with Ja Morant the next closest at a whopping +450. However, given the uncertainty of any Rookie of the Year season and the staggering odds for the longshots, Williamson is not running away with the ticket count.
In fact, according to Jeff Sherman, VP of Risk Management at Westgate, Williamson is seventh in ticket count and fifth in money wagered so far on the ROY bet. Sherman notes that Celtics undrafted rookie Tacko Fall has more money wagered on him at +10,000 than Williamson.
The No. 1 player in ticket count? That would be Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., who missed all of his rookie season following multiple back procedures and then injured his knee before he could even get onto the floor for Summer League. Porter makes some sense, however. He's currently +2500 — pretty good value for a born-gifted scorer who spent a full year with an NBA training staff, figures to contribute significantly at a position of need for a Western Conference playoff team and is capable of marquee performances.
The leader in money wagered? Wizards rookie Rui Hachimura. This one I have no answers for. He's 21 and plays on the wing for what will be one of the worst and least-watched teams in the league. It would take a truly transcendent rookie season to shift enough momentum and land the award.
That said, the longer shots being more popular bets does bring to light what an incredible hedge Williamson provides. Being able to take a position on Zion at -140 — within decent range of even money — and then take a swing on a big longshot is advantageous.
That said, there's no clear sign of what longshot would give Williamson a real run for the money. It's likely better to wait for the first month of the season to see who starts off hot, then stake a position there with Williamson perhaps closer to even money rather than getting ahead of it now.
Either way, the Tacko Fall bit is pretty funny.
