NBA Rookie of the Year Longshots: These Players Could Upset Cooper Flagg

[ad_1] Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Jeremiah Fears, Cooper Flagg, and Dylan Harper stand on stage earlier than the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Heart. Necessary Credit score: Brad Penner-Imagn Photographs It’s fairly attainable the general high quality of NBA rookies final season may need been the worst in NBA historical past.

Yeah, that’s saying quite a bit. However have a look at the names of the blokes voted onto the All-Rookie first group:

Stephon Fortress, Zaccharie Risacher, Jaylen Wells, Zach Edey, and Alex Sarr.

They’re as onerous to spell as they're to pronounce. And so they have been even tougher to look at.

Heck, even John Calipari wouldn’t recruit that fearless fivesome.

Not that they have been unhealthy decisions, thoughts you. The second group was far uglier.

Fortress was a near-unanimous alternative as Rookie of the 12 months regardless of averaging simply 14.7 factors, taking pictures 29 p.c on 3-pointers, and enjoying for a group that, regardless of the presence of Victor Wembanyama, didn't make the playoffs.

If final 12 months’s rookie class had something going for it, it’s this:

It is likely to be higher than this 12 months’s group.

Sure, the brand new freshman pledges are led by a blue-chipper, Cooper Flagg. He's extra of a lock to win Rookie of the 12 months honors than Wembanyama was two years in the past.

Predicting Flagg will stroll away with this 12 months’s {hardware} is kid's play. Profiting on it's a bit harder.

Flagg is a minus-225 favourite within the present BetMGM listings. In layman’s phrases, that’s a $225 funding with an opportunity of successful solely $100.

On the baseball diamond, that’s somewhat like Clayton Kershaw pitching in opposition to the Rockies.

Alas, a shrewd businessman would be aware: Investing $225 for six months and getting $325 in return six months later is a 44-percent return in your funding. The place else are you able to get that?

After all, that’s presuming your financial institution doesn’t go bankrupt. Or on this case, Flagg doesn’t play the season at half-staff.

If the brand new Maverick have been to contract Anthony Davis-itis whereas in Dallas and missed 18 or extra video games – which might make him ineligible for NBA honors – then hastily an enormous pot of Flagg funding cash could be up for grabs.

That may be a longshot seeker’s dream.

Ah, now I received your consideration. So, in case you’re seeking to threat somewhat to make quite a bit, listed below are 4 present ponies that would upset (pun supposed) Man ‘o Battle this season:

Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans (+10000)

New Orleans appears to have determined to tank this season. We’ll know for certain after they commerce Zion Williamson for Jonathan Kuminga and a few draft picks in just a few months. However for now: It’s a tug-of-war between Jordan Poole and Fears to see who bogarts probably the most pictures. Fears is greater and stronger, and that would result in the 20-point scoring common that will get votes at season’s finish.

Our Present Finest Provides

1

Underdog Declare your Particular Choose through Code + First Time Deposit as much as $250 in bonus! T&Cs apply, 18+

2

ParlayPlay 100% as much as $100 T&Cs apply, 18+

3

OwnersBox 100% as much as $500 T&Cs apply, 18+

4

FanDuel Fantasy $65 worth with only a $10+ deposit T&Cs apply, 18+

Yang Hansen, Path Blazers (+6000)

Followers flocked to Las Vegas final summer time to get up-close-and-personal with Bronny James, and most received precisely what they anticipated – one other LeBron flop. This 12 months, the star attraction in Vegas was Yang, and what some imagine they witnessed was a second coming of Yao Ming. The 7-foot-1 Chinese language import blocked pictures, handed the ball unselfishly, and even buried 3-pointers.

He’s assured eyeballs – and enjoying time – on a Portland group that, not like New Orleans, must be aggressive.

Our Present Finest Provides

1

Underdog Declare your Particular Choose through Code + First Time Deposit as much as $250 in bonus! T&Cs apply, 18+

2

ParlayPlay 100% as much as $100 T&Cs apply, 18+

3

OwnersBox 100% as much as $500 T&Cs apply, 18+

4

FanDuel Fantasy $65 worth with only a $10+ deposit T&Cs apply, 18+

Nikola Matter, Thunder (+10,000)

Don’t neglect that this 12 months’s rookie class isn’t the identical as this 12 months’s draft class. So long as you have not performed within the NBA, you continue to get ROOKIE stamped in your brow this season. Matter was one other of Sam Presti’s good draft-and-stashes final 12 months. He’s skilled and seems able to step in when final season’s league chief in touch – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – takes one too many hits this time round.

Our Present Finest Provides

1

Underdog Declare your Particular Choose through Code + First Time Deposit as much as $250 in bonus! T&Cs apply, 18+

2

ParlayPlay 100% as much as $100 T&Cs apply, 18+

3

OwnersBox 100% as much as $500 T&Cs apply, 18+

4

FanDuel Fantasy $65 worth with only a $10+ deposit T&Cs apply, 18+

Ace Bailey, Jazz (+1500)

This 12 months’s draft was uncommon in that the highest three picks – Flagg, Dylan Harper, and VJ Edgecombe – have been all chosen by groups prone to make the playoffs. That might (particularly with the latter two) lower into enjoying time. However no such points for the No. 5 decide, Bailey, who's prone to problem Fears for the excellence of scoring probably the most meaningless fourth-quarter factors within the league.