The Race for NBA Rookie of the Year Is Heating Up

The 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year race appeared to be over as Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball overtook the pack and was enjoying an outstanding first season. Then, Ball fractured a wrist that will require surgery and will put him on the sideline for the remainder of the season.

Ball’s injury put a new twist on the Rookie of the Year race. How will it all play out?

The New Favorite With Ball seemingly out of the race because of the injury, the new ROTY favorite is the old favorite – Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards.

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Edwards was the No. 1 pick in this year’s NBA draft and he has certainly proven his value thus far this season. Edwards worked his way into the starting lineup and has now started 33 games for the T- Wolves. He is averaging 17.6 points and 4.3 rebounds a game.

As good as Edwards is, he is not a lock for the ROTY award. If there is anything consistent about Edwards, it is that he is wildly inconsistent. Of all qualified players in the NBA, there are only four with a true shooting percentage that is less than Edwards’. None of those four have started more than 17 games this season.

Edwards continues to score, but Minnesota continues to lose. Plus, Edwards hasn’t shot 50 percent or better in a game since January. That may open the door for another candidate.

Closing In

There is some serious value in Sacramento’s Tyrese Haliburton who has really come on strong as the Kings make a run at obtaining a play-in spot. Prior to their recent three-game skid, Sacramento had won seven of eight games.

In that streak, Haliburton scored in double figures in all but one game, which happened to be the Kings only loss (Philadelphia). The Kings rookie went off for 28 points on 11-of-15 shooting – 4-of-5 from three-point range – against Cleveland. He scored 21 against Golden State when he shot 6-of-7 from behind the arc.

For the season, Haliburton averages 13.2 points and 5.0 assists per game. Among rookies, only Ball averages more assists per game. He also averages 1.3 steals per game, also second among all rookies.

The Kings are now 12th in the West and just a game out of 10 th place. Should the Kings earn a play-in spot, one of the big reasons will be Haliburton’s ability to create. While his ceiling might not be that of Edwards or Golden State’s James Wiseman, Haliburton is certainly worth of the ROTY in 2021.

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The Longshot

New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley is on the outside looking in when it comes to the 2021 ROTY. Quickley has only started three games and averages 12.4 points for head coach Tom Thibodeau. Quickley is an important part of the Knicks rotation and after a 25-point performance in a close loss to the Clippers on Feb. 1, Quickley was listed at +650 to win ROTY.

Those odds have risen again with Edwards’ and Haliburton’s recent successes. Still, Quickley is an option if the Knicks can somehow pull off the unthinkable and go deep in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Otherwise, this is a two-dog race between Edwards and Haliburton. Twenty-one Rookies of the Year were No. 1 draft picks like Edwards. The last three ROTYs were a No. 1, 2, or 3 pick.

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2021 NBA Rookie of the Year Odds

You can still bet on the NBA Rookie of the Year at BetOnline.

Anthony Edwards -120

Tyrese Haliburton +190

LaMelo Ball +200

Immanuel Quickley +2200