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 into 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 |
| Stephon Castle | +115 |
| Jaylen Wells | +250 |
| Kel’el Ware | +900 |
| Zaccharie Risacher | +1300 |
| Zach Edey | +2000 |
| Alexandre Sarr | +2500 |
| Isaiah Collier | +5000 |
| Donovan Clingan | +6000 |
| Matas Buzelis | +6000 |
| Carlton Carrington | +8000 |
| Dalton Knecht | +15000 |
| Yves Missi | +15000 |
| Rob Dillingham | +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 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year Award
- Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers
- Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers
- 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. 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 handled himself well, breaking out for 25 points in a win over the Raptors but his playing time has dropped off in February and likely will become an honorable mention in next week’s update.
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8. Isaiah Collier, Utah Jazz
Leading all rookies in assists per game, Isaiah Collier has emerged as the point guard of the future for the Utah Jazz after being selected 29th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. He’s still shooting just 24.8% from distance, but the 20-year-old has plenty of time to develop into a more consistent scorer.
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7. 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 second 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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6. Alexandre Sarr, Washington Wizards
The biggest reason why Sarr still 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 39.4% is the biggest impediment to Sarr winning the award, but he’s the frontrunner for now thanks to averaging 2.3 stocks (blocks + steals) per game.
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5. 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 fifth in scoring, Edey’s NBA Rookie of the Year candidacy has been a rollercoaster but there are a lot of contenders who have yet to separate from the pack.
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4. Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
He may have been the first overall pick, but the Hawks are 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 fourth among rookies in scoring and averages 1.3 stocks per game, making him an early, but outside candidate to win the NBA’s ROTY award.
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3. Kel’el Ware, Miami Heat
The 15th overall pick didn’t get to play much early on, but after the Jimmy Butler drama emerged, the Miami Heat had no choice but to look to the future and increase Kel’el Ware’s playing time. Now a consistent starter, Ware ranks fifth among rookies in rebounding and his numbers are climbing. The Heat’s rookie center is now a good bet to finish as an NBA Rookie of the Year finalist instead of being a fringe contender.
2. Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies
Thirty-eight players were selected before Jaylen Wells, but he’s taking advantage of an early opportunity to see the floor for a good Grizzlies team poised to return to the playoffs. Wells ranks third among rookies in scoring at 11.4 PPG, but he’s not doing much more than putting up points in bunches.
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1. Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Stephon Castle landed in one of the best situations among all rookies. Not only did he join a San Antonio Spurs franchise known for player development, he gets to learn from a future Hall of Famer in Chris Paul. While Castle was an effective scorer in college, he’s shooting just 41.2% from the field and 27.7% from distance early on. Yet, he’s gaining ground among our NBA Rookie of the Year frontrunners thanks to leading all first-year players in points per game.
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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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