Victor Wembanyama is the NBA MVP favorite at +205, and Cameron Boozer leads the Rookie of the Year race at +270. Both prices are DraftKings’, as ESPN carries them, read at 10:48 UTC on Saturday, October 17, 2026 (6:48 am ET), three days before the regular season opens on Tuesday, October 20.
ESPN carries a DraftKings board for all seven of the NBA’s regular-season awards. This page holds the top three of each and what the award is for, and links to the page that carries the full board. It makes no pick.
NBA awards odds: the favorite in every race
| Award | Favorite | Price | Implied | Margin removed | Names priced |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MVP | Victor Wembanyama, Spurs | +205 | 32.8% | 27.4% | 31 |
| Rookie of the Year | Cameron Boozer, Grizzlies | +270 | 27.0% | 21.7% | 32 |
| Defensive Player | Victor Wembanyama, Spurs | -360 | 78.3% | 63.1% | 68 |
| Most Improved | Dylan Harper, Spurs | +900 | 10.0% | 5.6% | 106 |
| Sixth Man | Payton Pritchard, Celtics | +450 | 18.2% | 11.2% | 89 |
| Coach of the Year | Rick Carlisle, Pacers | +1200 | 7.7% | not shown | 9 |
| Clutch Player | Jalen Brunson, Knicks | +700 | 12.5% | 8.5% | 79 |
Implied is the chance a price needs to break even: +205 needs 32.8%. Each board’s implied chances add up to more than 100%, and the excess is the bookmaker’s margin. On the MVP board they add up to 119.8%, so Wembanyama’s 32.8% becomes 27.4% once the margin is taken out (32.8 / 119.8). The futures betting guide explains how a season-long price works.
All seven awards are chosen by a global panel of 100 media members, with the ballots counted by Ernst & Young, according to the NBA’s release of the 2025-26 voting results.
MVP: Wembanyama at +205
- Victor Wembanyama, Spurs: +205 (32.8%)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder: +380 (20.8%)
- Luka Doncic, Lakers: +475 (17.4%)
The winner takes the Michael Jordan Trophy. Gilgeous-Alexander has won it two seasons running, and last season’s ballot had Nikola Jokic second and Wembanyama third. Since our read on October 12, the board has tilted away from the holder: Gilgeous-Alexander has drifted from +350 to +380, while Doncic has come in from +550 to +475 and passed Jokic, now +650. The full board is on our NBA MVP odds page.
Rookie of the Year: Boozer at +270
- Cameron Boozer, Grizzlies: +270 (27.0%)
- Caleb Wilson, Bulls: +340 (22.7%)
- Darryn Peterson, Jazz: +360 (21.7%)
Cooper Flagg won it last season by 26 points over Kon Knueppel, the second-smallest margin since the current voting format began in 2002-03, the NBA says. This board has three names within five and a half points of each other. Boozer has shortened from +300 since October 13, and Wilson and Peterson have swapped places at +340 and +360. Every rookie priced is on our Rookie of the Year odds page.
Defensive Player of the Year: Wembanyama at -360
- Victor Wembanyama, Spurs: -360 (78.3%)
- Chet Holmgren, Thunder: +1200 (7.7%)
- Ausar Thompson, Pistons: +2500 (3.8%)
Wembanyama was the first unanimous choice since the award began in 1982-83, the NBA said in April. The top three here are last season’s top three in the voting, in the same order. At -360 he is the only odds-on favorite across the seven boards, and none of these three prices has moved since October 13. The rest of the 68 names are on our Defensive Player of the Year odds page.
Most Improved Player: Harper at +900
- Dylan Harper, Spurs: +900 (10.0%)
- Brandon Miller, Hornets: +1100 (8.3%)
- Payton Pritchard, Celtics: +1100 (8.3%)
Nickeil Alexander-Walker won it last season after going from 9.4 points a game to 20.8. This is the widest board of the seven, 106 names whose implied chances add up to 177.2%, so Harper’s 10.0% is 5.6% with the margin out. Harper made the All-Rookie first team last season. Miller (+1200 on October 13) and Pritchard (+1400) have both shortened. Our Most Improved Player odds page has the board.
Sixth Man of the Year: Pritchard at +450
- Payton Pritchard, Celtics: +450 (18.2%)
- Ajay Mitchell, Thunder: +500 (16.7%)
- Ayo Dosunmu, Timberwolves: +1500 (6.2%)
A player is eligible only if he comes off the bench in more games than he starts, the NBA’s rule for the award. Keldon Johnson won it last season, and Pritchard the season before. The leader has changed since October 13, when Mitchell led at +600, with Dylan Harper +750 and Pritchard +800. Pritchard is now +450, and Harper has drifted to +1800. Pritchard is also tied second for Most Improved. Our Sixth Man of the Year odds page has all 89 names.
Coach of the Year: Carlisle at +1200
- Rick Carlisle, Pacers: +1200 (7.7%)
- Ime Udoka, Rockets: +2000 (4.8%)
- Mike Brown, Knicks: +2500 (3.8%)
- JJ Redick, Lakers: +2500 (3.8%)
The winner takes the Red Auerbach Trophy; Joe Mazzulla won it last season with Boston. ESPN carries only nine coaches on this board, and their implied chances add up to 32.7%, so it is a partial list and the margin cannot be taken out. Mazzulla is not among the nine. The prices have not moved since October 13. Our Coach of the Year odds page lists all nine.
Clutch Player of the Year: Brunson at +700
- Jalen Brunson, Knicks: +700 (12.5%)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder: +800 (11.1%)
- Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves: +1200 (7.7%)
- Luka Doncic, Lakers: +1200 (7.7%)
- Stephen Curry, Warriors: +1200 (7.7%)
The NBA counts clutch time as the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime with the score within five points. Gilgeous-Alexander won it last season with a league-high 175 clutch points, ahead of Jamal Murray and Edwards. The award has had four different winners in its four seasons. Five names sit within 4.8 points of each other at the top of the board. Our Clutch Player odds page has the rest.
When the awards are decided
Last season the NBA named the Defensive Player on April 20, the Clutch Player on April 21, the Sixth Man on April 22, the Most Improved on April 24 and the Rookie of the Year on April 27, then the MVP on May 17 and the Coach of the Year on May 26. Prices move all season; this page is rebuilt when the boards do. The title race is on our NBA championship odds page, and every game we cover is on the NBA predictions hub.