NBA Rookie of the Year Odds – Cameron Boozer Leads Top Four Candidates

Source: Kalshi, October 07, 2026 - $693,556 Volume - Settled After Outcome

Cameron Boozer will start his NBA career following his freshman season at Duke, where he averaged 22 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists, a performance that earned him the national college player of the year. Memphis selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Of the top four candidates for the Rookie of the Year award, Boozer has one of the more realistic opportunities to become a consistent part of his team's offense. Memphis has entered a rebuilding period following Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant's exit, with Boozer as a potential player the team is expected to build around. Early NBA fantasy outlooks projects a high usage rate, in addition to his Summer League evaluation suggesting he could play more than 30 minutes per game.

His skillset also looks relatively NBA ready. Boozer is an efficient scorer and can consistently rebound. However, other facets of his game could be what helps him stand out from other forwards. He's shown he has good instincts when facilitating from the post, can reliably set screens, and he can create shots all on his own.

If Memphis does give him the minutes this season, he likely will have plenty of opportunities to put together the necessary numbers needed to beat out others in his class for the award this year.

Darryn Peterson is coming in off a single season with the Kansas Jayhawks, where he averaged 20 points per game, with the Utah Jazz selecting him with the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft. 

Peterson should also see substantial minutes immediately at the start of this season and has already been used as a starter for preseason games. However, his situation is a bit more complicated than Boozer's, with Utah already having established scoring options.

Keyonte George will continue to be relied upon in the backcourt, with Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. likely to keep a significant portion of the available minutes. It can very well keep Peterson from having the same opportunity to stand out as some of the other top rookies.

Long term outlooks see Peterson as a potential top NBA scorer. At 6-foot-6, he has the size to play either guard positions and has shown he can score off dribbles reliably, has the confidence to attack the basket, and create shots from the perimeter line.

The biggest issue for Peterson in this market is whether or not he is given consistent time on the floor for the Jazz. It's still uncertain what the Jazz are aiming for in terms of development across the next couple of seasons, but Peterson just might be a part of it. 

Caleb Wilson was selected fourth overall by the Chicago Bulls following one season at North Carolina, where he averaged 19 points, 9 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks before his season was cut short by injury. 

His athleticism and defensive abilities were considered his major strengths, but his outside shooting was one of the bigger concerns surrounding him entering the draft.

However, we saw encouraging signs during the Summer League this year. Wilson averaged 23 points and shot for 42% on three point attempts, showing he has the potential to be reliable scoring option for his team.

Chicago will also likely give him significant minutes at the start of the season. The Bulls season preview describes Wilson as a potential franchise player and projects him as part of the starting lineup alongside Josh Giddey, Norman Powell, Matas Buzelis and Nic Claxton.

At 19%, Wilson currently sits just 1% behind Peterson and he could quickly climb the market if his Summer League shooting carries into the regular season.

Despite being in fourth place for the current Rookie of the Year odds, AJ Dybantsa was the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Washington Wizards selected Dybantsa after one season at BYU, where he led the country with 25 points per game while also averaging 7 rebounds and 4 assists.

Dybantsa enters the league as one the more efficient individual scorers among the rookie class. At 6-foot-9, he has the ability to create his own shot and we've seen him consistently go to the free throw line.

Like the other top candidates for this award, Washington will also likely give him significant playing time from the beginning. Dybantsa has been competing for a starting role and is expected to become an major part of a Wizards offense that also includes Trae Young and Anthony Davis. 

Playing next to Young could be especially beneficial, as Dybantsa will not have to create his own scoring opportunities himself and should receive plenty of chances to attack defenses without being their sole focus.

At 18%, he currently has the lowest odds of the four players, but there is very little separating them. The most likely reason for him trailing behind at the moment, is the uncertainty regarding the Wizards this year, with both Davis and Young not having played for the team last year.