NBA Prop Pick: Paolo Banchero NBA Rookie of the Year (-1000) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
The NBA season is 72% complete. As the season has progressed, the markets for the end-of-the-season awards have had plenty of shifts.
Let’s take a look at the Rookie of the Year award and see if we can find a winning NBA pick.
Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic)
- Rookie of the Year Odds (-1000)
The Orlando Magic caused quite a stir with their number one overall draft pick Paolo Banchero. Many NBA observers expected Jabari Smith to be the number-one pick. In fact, most bookmakers had the NBA odds of Banchero going number one to be -1000 or higher. But in a draft day switch, the Magic went with Paolo Banchero. Banchero was as high as 20 to 1 to go number one overall the week of the draft.
The Magic’s switch or obfuscation of their true intentions ended up being the correct call, so it seems. Banchero is the leading candidate to win the Rookie of the Year award. Banchero is averaging 19.9 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game, and 3.6 assists per game.
He has played the third most games on the team at 52 and averages 33.7 minutes per game, the highest of any Magic player. Only Franz Wagner has played more minutes for the team this season.
Banchero is the playmaker that the Magic needs to be their star. Banchero has the ability to create his own shot, and he draws the attention of opposing defenses to open up opportunities for his teammates. Banchero looks like he could be a top-10 player in the league in about 3 years if he continues to develop at the pace in which he has displayed so far in his short career.
Paolo Banchero is head and shoulders above the rest of the field for Rookie of the Year. At this point, even an injury might not prevent Banchero from securing the award. As he has played most of the season so far, it’s hard to see even missing the last 20 games being a hindrance to him. Unfortunately, the NBA odds accurately reflect that. You can put Banchero in as a safe leg as a parlay, however.
Bennedict Mathurin (Indiana Pacers)
- Rookie of the Year Odds (+950)
The second-best rookie this year has been Bennedict Mathurin. Mathurin is averaging 17.2 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game, and 1.4 assists per game. Mathurin has a boisterous level of confidence that is infectious to his teammates.
Bennedict Mathurin was the fifth pick overall, but he might end up being the second-best player in this draft. Number two overall pick Chet Holmgren has yet to play with the Lisfranc injury and number three overall pick Jabari Smith has shown flashes of potential. Smith in particular looks like he needs time for his frame to grow into an NBA body. Bennedict Mathurin has an NBA body right now.
Bennedict Mathurin is sturdy; he has yet to miss a game this season. He is shooting 42.9% from the field and 82.9% on his free throws. He is also a solid defender and his versatility on both ends of the floor is a prized asset for the Pacers.
Unfortunately, Banchero’s season is so much more impressive that it’s hard to see Mathurin winning this award, even if Banchero were to be injured. As much as the NBA odds on Mathurin to win look tasty, it’s hard to recommend this as a bet.
Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz)
- Rookie of the Year Odds (+4000)
Walker Kessler has been quite the revelation for Utah Jazz fans. Kessler was drafted with the pick acquired when the Jazz traded out franchise stalwart Rudy Gobert this summer. Kessler has been fantastic at the same rim protection role that Gobert once filled.
Walker Kessler is averaging 8.2 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per game. He is also averaging an impressive 2.05 blocks per game and doing all this in just 21.3 minutes per game.
Kessler will not win the award but this is an excellent draft pick by the Jazz and someone that they can build around for their future. Kessler is in this column as a truly honorable mention.
Best Bet
I’m sorry, dear reader, that I could not give you a more fun selection for this award but as fans of detective shows will recognize, this is an open and shut case. We have a clear-cut winner as all the evidence points to one man, Paolo Banchero. If your book will allow you to parlay him, it is a safe way to add odds to a different bet.
I would have liked to give you a more flashy selection but we must be honest here and go with what the evidence suggests. Our best bet for the Rookie of the Year is Paolo Banchero.
For Orlando residents looking to bet on this player, you can do it at our top Florida betting sites.
NBA Prop Pick: Paolo Banchero NBA Rookie of the Year (-1000) at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
