The Dallas Mavericks won the NBA lottery on May 12, and it was pretty clear from that date on they’d take Duke star forward Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in 2025 NBA Draft. And that’s exactly what they did Wednesday night at Barclays Center in New York.
Flagg will play on a Mavericks team that will be waiting a good chunk of the season for the return of Kyrie Irving from a torn ACL. Flagg is the -225 odds-on favorite at BetMGM to win the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year — only the third time since 2006 (as far back as the Sports Odds History database goes) a player has been an odds-on favorite in the preseason to win the award.
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The other two players that were odds-on ROY favorites in the preseason at sportsbooks — Kevin Durant at -200 odds in 2007-08 and Victor Wembanyama at -145 in 2023-24 — went on to win the award.
Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards) has the second-best odds at +700, followed by Ace Bailey (+800, Utah Jazz) and Dylan Harper (13-1, San Antonio Spurs). Harper has taken the most bets and total dollars so far on the award at BetMGM, and he represents the biggest liability at the moment.
Nikola Topić (100-1), the Oklahoma City Thunder’s first-round pick from 2024, missed all of last season with an injury but will be playing his rookie year this season and could see his odds rise.
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Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. (100-1), fresh off an NCAA title, went to the Utah Jazz at pick No. 18 and will have a crowded backcourt to compete with, along with Bailey on the wing.
Fans will have their first glimpse of some of the rookies at the NBA Summer League from July 10-20 in Las Vegas.
