Cooper Flagg's NBA Rookie of the Year Odds Revealed originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
All eyes were on Cooper Flagg on Thursday, as he officially took the NBA stage for the first time. After being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks, Flagg played in his first NBA Summer League game against Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
While Flagg struggled shooting from the field, his Mavericks came away with an 87-85 victory over the Lakers. The basketball world reacted to every moment involving Flagg and James, however neither showcased their full potential on Thursday.
Flagg finished 5-for-21 from the field, scoring just 10 points in his NBA debut. James scored just eight points on 2-for-8 shooting from the field. They finished a combined 1-for-11 from 3-point range.
Despite his struggles during his 32 minutes played on Thursday, Flagg still remains one of the most highly touted prospects to enter the NBA in quite some time.
And late Thursday, at least one sports betting platform revealed Flagg's betting odds to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
As per @PolymarketSport on X, Flagg is the early favorite to win the award, with odds of minus-185.
Cooper Flagg is the early favorite to win Rookie of the Year on @PolymarketSport (-185). pic.twitter.com/qEAiZCz8DQ
— Polymarket Hoops (@PolymarketHoops) July 11, 2025
Flagg enters the NBA following a historic freshman season with Duke University. He broke multiple records on his way to winning the 2025 Naismith Player of the Year award.
While Flagg's talents have been on the NBA radar for many years, even as a high school prospect from the tiny town of Newport, Maine, Flagg's potential abilities are being recognized on the grandest of stages as he prepares to play in his first regular season NBA game in late October.
No matter Flagg's struggles against the Lakers on Thursday, a handful of his new Mavericks teammates, including Kyrie Irving and PJ Washington, showed up and vocalized their support every time Flagg made an impact in his first Summer League game.
Flagg will join Irving, Washington, Anthony Davis, and Klay Thompson, as they enter the 2025-26 NBA season with an intriguing roster.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
