James Wiseman Surges in NBA Rookie of the Year Odds

The Golden State Warriors have, unsurprisingly, not looked as dominant with Klay Thompson sidelined. Without a clear top offensive option outside of Steph Curry, that's allowed rookie big man to take on a larger role. So far, the No. 2 overall pick has looked impressive.

James Wiseman Rookie of the Year Odds

Wiseman's early play has shot him up in the NBA Rookie of the Year odds. The former Memphis big man is now at +320 odds to win the award, according to FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA futures, which makes him the betting favorite alongside Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (+320).

Wiseman is currently averaging 11.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. Those numbers place him second, second and first among rookies, respectively. His 1.6 BPG are also tied for the eighth-best mark in the league.

It's only been five games, but it's clear that Wiseman will get opportunities to showcase his talents with the Warriors, whose season could go south quickly and give him even more room to work with.

LaMelo Ball Rookie of the Year Odds

Ball started as the preseason favorite to take home Rookie of the Year, and he's looking like the player that he was hyped up to be.

The Hornets guard is averaging 11.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG and 4.2 APG, continuing to be a do-it-all player who stuffs the stat sheet. Ball has also proven to be a sneaky defender, racking up 1.8 steals per game, which has him tied for eighth in the league with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Marcus Smart.

Ball is seeing a healthy 23.0 minutes per game, and that should start to rise as the season goes on, putting him in great position to improve on already solid numbers.

Anthony Edwards (+500), Obi Toppin (+850) and Tyrese Halliburton (+950) round out the top five in the Rookie of the Year race.

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