The 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year race didn’t feature a lot of intrigue. While Chet Holmgren put up a strong fight, it was Victor Wembanyama’s trophy from the moment he arrived in the NBA as a generational talent.
Now, as we look ahead to the 2024-25 season, we have a new list of candidates leading the way. Only this time, the No. 1 overall pick, Zaccharie Risacher, isn’t viewed as a frontrunner.
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2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year odds
Before we discuss the list of candidates, let’s consider who sportsbooks consider the best odds to win NBA Rookie of the Year.
Here are the players with the best odds to win NBA ROTY in 2025:
| Player | NBA ROY odds |
| Alexandre Sarr | +140 |
| Zach Edey | +350 |
| Jaylen Wells | +650 |
| Stephon Castle | +700 |
| Yves Missi | +800 |
| Tristan Da Silva | +3000 |
| Zaccharie Risacher | +3500 |
| Dalton Knecht | +6000 |
| Carlton Carrington | +7500 |
| Ryan Dunn | +10000 |
| Donovan Clingan | +15000 |
Below is Sportsnaut’s list of NBA Rookie of the Year candidates for the 2024-25 season, in reverse order.
Honorable mentions to win NBA Rookie of the Year:
- Ja’Kobe Walter, Toronto Raptors
- Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets
- Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls
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10. Carlton ‘Bub’ Carrington, Washington Wizards
Like his fellow rookie teammate Alex Sarr, Carlton Carrington there are plenty of minutes up for grabs in Washington’s rotation on one of the worst teams in the NBA. After being selected 14th overall, Carrington has earned an established role, ranking second among all rookies in assists per game.
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9. Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers have yet to make Donovan Clingan a big part of their rotation after selecting him with the seventh overall pick. After winning two National Championships at UConn, the 7-foot-2 center has proven he’s capable of helping teams win right away. Now we’ll get a chance to see if that carries over to the pros, but for now, he’s stuck behind Deandre Ayton, yet is tied for first among rookies in blocks.
8. Tristan Da Silva, Orlando Magic
The 18th overall pick out of Munich, Germany, has seen his playing time increase after multiple Magic players suffered injuries. Silva has handled himself well and recently broke out for 21 points in a close win over the Nets. His shooting splits could improve, as he’s hitting just 31.5 percent of his shots from the perimeter, but the 23-year-old has plenty of time to develop.
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7. Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers
The Tennessee sharpshooter was just what the Los Angeles Lakers needed. He may have only been the 17th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, but Knecht is quickly proving the NBA wrong. Knecht’s shooting 34.7 percent from distance, averaging 9.6 PPG, and looks like a long-term fixture in the Lakers’ lineup.
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6. Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
He may have been the first overall pick, but this is still Trae Young’s team, and he’s not suddenly going to reduce his scoring load. Zaccharie Risacher can help the Hawks in a number of ways, but he’s had some growing pains, both offensively and defensively as he transitions to the NBA. So far, he ranks fifth among rookies in scoring and averages 1.4 stocks per game, making him an early candidate to win the NBA’s ROTY award.
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5. Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Stephon Castle landed in one of the best situations among all rookies. Not only is he joining a San Antonio Spurs franchise known for player development, he gets to learn from future Hall of Famers in Gregg Popovich and Chris Paul. While Castle was an effective scorer in college, he’s shooting just 39 percent from the field and 25 percent from distance early on. Yet, he’s still among our NBA Rookie of the Year frontrunners.
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4. Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies
Thirty-eight players were selected before Jaylen Wells, but he’s taking advantage of a beaten-up Grizzlies team while the opportunity is there. Wells ranks second among rookies in scoring, but he’s not doing much more than putting up points in bunches.
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3. Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans let their starting center go this offseason but replaced him with Yves Missi, a 20-year-old Belgian native. Since becoming the 21st overall pick, Missi ranks first among rookies in rebounding and third in blocks. His scoring has room for improvement, which likely restricts Missi’s chances of winning Rookie of the Year, but he’s still in the race.
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2. Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
Players just aren’t built like the 7-foot-4, 305-pound Zach Edey. A potentially dominant presence in the paint, he’s also shown he can swat shots away at the rim and even impact passing lanes. Ranking second among rookies in rebounds per game while ranking sixth in scoring, Edey’s NBA Rookie of the Year candidacy has received a strong boost thanks to a 21-point, 16-rebound performance in a late December matchup against Toronto, but there are a lot of contenders who have yet to separate from the pack.
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1. Alexandre Sarr, Washington Wizards
The biggest reason why Sarr has a chance to win NBA Rookie of the Year is because there isn’t much else on the Wizards right now. If the 7-foot-1 Sarr can continue growing as a scorer while providing excellent defense, he can win this year’s award, but he has a lot of challengers standing in his path. Shooting just 40.6 percent is the biggest impediment to Sarr winning the award, but he’s the frontrunner for now.
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Who won the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year?
After leading all first-year players by averaging 21.4 PPG and 10.6 RPG, Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs won the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year award. Wembanyama became the second consecutive No. 1 pick to win ROTY after Paolo Banchero started the streak. Can Zaccharie Risacher make it a trend?
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Has anyone won MVP and Rookie of the Year NBA?
Both Wilt Chamberlain and Wes Unseld have won MVP and Rookie of the Year in the NBA in the same season. A total of 16 players have won both throughout their careers. But doing so in the same year hasn’t been done since Unseld in 1969.
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