- Paolo Banchero has opened as the odds on favorite to win the 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year award.
- Banchero is on top of every major ROY betting board except Caesars Sportsbook which has Jabari Smith as its odds-on favorite to win the award.
- Banchero was picked first overall by the Orlando Magic in Thursday’s 2022 NBA Draft.
Shortly after being picked first overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Paolo Banchero opened as the odds-on-favorite to win the 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year award.
The 6-10 forward became the 5th player from the Duke Blue Devils to be picked first overall during Thursday’s draft. Now the best NBA betting sites are picking him to join Grant Hill (1994-95), Elton Brand (1999-2000), and Kyrie Irving (2011-12) as the only Blue Devils player to win the award.
Paolo Banchero Opens as ROY Betting Favorite
Magic top pick Paolo Banchero opens as betting favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year https://t.co/quV7TIYkTL pic.twitter.com/xUyBaVR7Lw
— For The Win (@ForTheWin) June 25, 2022
Banchero opened as the +300 betting favorite at most of the top NBA sportsbooks including BetOnline, DK Sportsbook, BetMGM, PointsBet USA, Bet365 USA, Borgata Online, and Barstool Sportsbook. Meanwhile, no. 3 pick Jabari Smith is the odds-on-favorite to win the award at Caesars Sportsbook with his +320 odds with Banchero a close second at +350.
At the majority of the best NBA betting sites, however, Smith is second behind Banchero in the opening 2023 Rookie of the Year betting boards. The Auburn Tigers’ power forward is listed at +350 via BetOnline, DK Sportsbook, BetMGM, Borgata Online, and Bet365 USA. Smith at an even longer +375 odds via PointsBet USA.
Meanwhile, second overall pick Chet Holmgren has the third-best odds to win the 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year award at all sportsbooks with odds live as of Saturday. The former Gonzaga Bulldog is priced at +450 via Bet365 USA and +475 via the DK Sportsbook, Borgata Online, and BetMGM. Holmgren is also listed at +500 at PointsBet USA while he is pegged at +550 via Caesars Sportsbook. Holmgren’s longest odds are at +575 via BetOnline.
The Best Player in the Draft
“Guys like Paolo don’t walk through that door very often. Clearly, he’s the best player in this draft. He’s about to show it.”
After whirlwind NBA draft, Paolo Banchero embraces being Magic’s No. 1 pickhttps://t.co/IJpfYpqWx5
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) June 25, 2022
Banchero was always considered by many the best player in the 2022 NBA Draft class. Unfortunately, NBA writers like Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania dictated the betting odds with their “reliable sources” tweets that sent the betting boards into a frenzy in the last 48 hours before the Draft. Hence, it was Smith who spent most of the months as the odds-on-favorite to be picked first.
At 6-10, Banchero has an NBA-ready body. He has excellent handles for his size and could make a case to be a playmaker in the NBA in the mold of LeBron James. He has the ability to score from the post and has a reliable jump shot. Put those talents to an Orlando Magic team that did not have a 20-point scorer last season and whose assists leader was Cole Anthony at 5.7 dimes per contest, Banchero could easily rack up spectacular numbers for the Magic next season.
Smith too could get his minutes in Houston with the Rockets shipping out Christian Wood. But with the likes of Alperen Sengun and Jae’Sean Tate, he may not be able to monopolize his position in Houston. Meanwhile, Holmgren will also share the floor with Aleksej Pokusevski so he won’t be alone in OKC. Meanwhile, the Magic have no player with Banchero’s skill set and he has every chance to shine in his first NBA season.
