NBA Futures – Trio leads NBA Rookie of the Year odds
Betting on sports: NBA Rookie of the Year odds – Beasley, Mayo and Rose are head of the class
- 2008-09 rookie class is extremely deep
- Beasley, Mayo must overcome character issues
- Rose aims to make Chicago hometown fans proud
The leaders in the NBA Rookie of the Year odds race are part of the “one-and-done” group: all are freshmen who showed they had more than enough talent to play in the NBA. Internet sportsbook odds favor Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo and Derrick Rose to slug it out for the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy.
Beasley is the favorite with NBA player futures of +150. The 6’7” forward starred at Kansas State last year, leading the Wildcats back to the NCAA Tournament by finishing third in the country in points and in rebounding.
Beasley steps into a starting role in Miami, where he’s expected to form a top-scoring duo with a rejuvenated Dwayne Wade. However, he was involved in a preseason incident with teammate Mario Chalmers, and there are questions about Beasley’s character, so it will be interesting to see how he handles the spotlight of the NBA.
Mayo is next with NBA futures odds of +300, and he showed much improvement in his lone year at USC. Mayo learned throughout the year to use his teammates and, once he learned that, the Trojans rolled all the way to the tournament, where they lost to Beasley’s Wildcats.
Mayo was picked third, right after Beasley, by Minnesota, who traded him to Memphis for UCLA’s Kevin Love. He will start immediately for the Grizzlies, bringing a star quality that team has not seen in, well…..ever. However, if things go south for Memphis, watch to see if Mayo sulks or inspires his team.
Rose was drafted first overall by his hometown team, Chicago, after leading Memphis to the tournament final. Rose is quick, has great size for a point guard, can finish in traffic, and is a workhorse on defense.
Once he gets a consistent jump shot, he could have the same impact on the Bulls that Chris Paul has had on New Orleans. Rose, who has NBA Rookie of the Year odds of +450, will face immense pressure playing in his hometown, but he seems to thrive on that.
A solid NBA futures underdog is Brandon Rush, who is a veteran compared to the previous three players as he stayed at Kansas for three years. He was integral in the Jayhawks’ run to the national championship, especially when he tore through North Carolina in the Final Four. Rush was picked 13th by Portland and was traded to Indiana for Jerryd Bayless.
The Pacers are rebuilding, which gives Rush plenty of opportunities, and his balanced game should put him in the Indiana starting lineup. NBA player futures have Rush rated at +1500.
CRAIG'S PICK: This is shaping up to be one of the most exciting years ever for NBA rookie odds. Any of the first 15 picks have a realistic shot at the award, but Beasley, Mayo and Rose obviously stand out.
I would bet on Derrick Rose to prove the Bulls were right in selecting him with the first overall pick. He’ll inject energy into the hometown faithful and spark the Bulls back to the postseason.
Hit the betonline.com Sportsbook for all your NBA betting lines, and check out the Bettor’s Edge daily for tips and insight into NBA Championship futures and NBA Rookie of the Year odds.
Craig Parsons is an avid sports fan, but his true love has always been basketball. Too short to realize his dream of playing in the NBA, he did the next best thing? Sports betting and covering basketball for a living. Thoughts or questions?
