2026-27 NBA Rookie of the Year Odds & Early Predictions: Cameron Boozer Favored After NBA Draft

The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft has come and gone, which did not disappoint. Ballislife kept track of the first round, and now let's look at the 2026-27 NBA Rookie of the Year odds. Cameron Boozer is the favorite, but let's break down the odds and my predictions ahead of Day 2 of the draft.

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

30 picks later, and the first round of the NBA Draft is complete. It's no surprise that the Washington Wizards selected AJ Dybantsa No. 1 overall, while Darryn Peterson was selected No. 2 overall by the Utah Jazz. The top five picks went as expected: the Memphis Grizzlies snagged Cameron Boozer No. 3 overall, Caleb Wilson was drafted to the Chicago Bulls No.4 overall, and the Los Angeles Clippers selected Keaton Wager at No. 5.

The first round of the draft included fantastic freshman and guard-heavy selections. Players such as Mikel Brown Jr. (Brooklyn Nets), Darius Acuff Jr. (Sacramento Kings), Kingston Flemings (Atlanta Hawks), Morez Johnson Jr. (Dallas Mavericks), and Brayden Burries (Milwaukee Bucks) found themselves drafted among the top 10.

2026 NBA Draft Headlined by Freshmen

Michigan made history as Yaxel Lendeborg (Golden State Warriors), Aday Mara (OKC Thunder), and Johnson Jr. all fell within the top 12 of the draft with new Mavericks head coach Dusty May present. A pair of Houston Cougars were drafted (Chris Cenac Jr. and Flemings), while Tarris Reed Jr. (San Antonio Spurs) and Alex Karaban (Kings) represented the UConn Huskies.

It was the night of the young ones, as nine of the first 10 selected were freshmen. While Day 2 is set to take place tonight, let's take a look at the 2026-27 NBA Rookie of the Year odds. I'll break down the favorites, sleepers, and my best predictions.

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2026 NBA Draft Lottery Picks

1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, BYU
2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, Kansas
3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, Duke
4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
5. Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler, Illinois
6. Brooklyn Nets: Mikel Brown Jr, Louisville
7. Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
8. Atlanta Hawks: Kingston Flemings, Houston
9. Dallas Mavericks: Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Brayden Burries, Arizona
11. Golden State Warriors: Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Aday Mara, Michigan
13. Milwaukee Bucks: Nate Ament, Tennessee
14. Charlotte Hornets: Hannes Steinbach, Washington

2026-27 NBA Rookie of the Year Odds (FanDuel)

• Cameron Boozer, Memphis Grizzlies (+240)
• Darryn Peterson, Utah Jazz (+400)
• AJ Dybantsa, Washington Wizards (+400)
• Darius Acuff Jr, Sacramento Kings (+450)
• Caleb Wilson, Chicago Bulls (+950)
• Mikel Brown Jr, Brooklyn Nets (+1500)
• Yaxel Lendeborg, Golden State Warriors (+2000)
• Keaton Wagler, Los Angeles Clippers (+3500)
• Brayden Burries, Milwaukee Bucks (+5000)
• Nate Ament, Milwaukee Bucks (+10000)
• Karim Lopez, Memphis Grizzlies (+10000)
• Kingston Flemings, Atlanta Hawks (+10000)
• Morez Johnson Jr., Dallas Mavericks (+10000)
• Dailyn Swain, Chicago Bulls (+10000)
• Koa Peat, Phoenix Suns (+15000)
• Cameron Carr, Los Angeles Lakers (+15000)
• Ebuka Okorie, Detroit Pistons (+20000)
• Christian Anderson Jr., Charlotte Hornets (+20000)
• Joshua Jefferson Jr., Brooklyn Nets (+20000)
• Labaron Philon Jr., Philadelphia 76ers (+25000)
• Chris Cenac Jr., Boston Celtics (+25000)
• Aday Mara, OKC Thunder (+25000)
• Hannes Steinbach, Charlotte Hornets (+250000)
• Allen Graves, Toronto Raptors (+25000)
• Zuby Ejiofor, Atlanta Hawks (+25000)
• Sergio De Larrea, Los Angeles Lakers  (+25000)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook (Updated June 24, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. ET)

The Favorite

Cameron Boozer, Memphis Grizzlies (+240)

It may be surprising that Cameron Boozer is favored to win the 2026-27 NBA Rookie of the Year award ahead of AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson. In fact, the No. 1 overall pick Dybantsa has the third-best odds to win ROY.

One could argue that Boozer could've been a first-round pick in any other draft, and there are a few who believe he could have been chosen in the top two this year. Boozer himself stated himself that people will look back and say he should have gone No. 1 overall.

Here we are. Boozer played just one season at Duke, but that was enough for me to see. He's the son of former NBA player Carlos Boozer and was named the consensus National Player of the Year. He's been a proven winner at the high school level and fell just short of an NCAA championship thanks to UConn.

Steal of the Draft?

The Grizzlies are getting a player who averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in his lone year at Duke. Boozer is just 18 years old, and shot 55.6% from the field and 39.1% from beyond the arc in his freshman year.

Memphis is in an interesting place. Jaren Jackson Jr. is gone, and the young core now features Boozer, Jaylen Wells, Zach Edey, and Cedric Coward. While the future of superstar Ja Morant is unclear, Boozer is a pro-ready player who should fill a starting role immediately.

Boozer may lack some size compared to other bigs, but he brings versatility and much-needed spacing.  I see him not only as the new franchise face but also as a player who can pair with Edey in the frontcourt. Instead of Desmond Bane and Ja Morant, the Grizzlies seem to be entering a new era. The only issue that remains is Edey's health.

Even so, Boozer brings a 6'9", 250-pound frame to the franchise. A player who can score both in the post and beyond the arc as well. I believe he's one of the most polished players in the draft and will make an immediate impact on a rebuilding Grizzlies squad that put up just 114.7 points last year.

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Sleeper Picks

Darius Acuff Jr, Sacramento Kings (+450)

I was generally surprised that Darius Acuff Jr. fell to No. 7 as Keaton Wagler (Clippers0 and Mikel Brown Jr. (Nets) were drafted before him. Outside of Darryn Peterson, I think Acuff Jr. is one of the best guards in this class. There were reports that the Kings were his preferred destination, and here's why he's a great fit.

Acuff Jr. was one of the best guards in the country last year, averaging 23.5 points, 6.4 assists, and also led the country in scoring. He's a bucket-getter and is one of the NCAA greats to have played under head coach John Calipari.

Don't let Acuff Jr.'s "undersized" 6'2" frame fool you; he can score in a variety of ways. He immediately steps in as the franchise's new point guard, a position they've struggled with since De'Aaron Fox's departure to the San Antonio Spurs.

What Will the Kings do with DeRozan, Sabonis, and LaVine?

While Sacramento still has its core of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis, it's unclear where the direction of those four players is headed. Plus, Russell Westbrook is a free agent.

After finishing 22-60 last season, Acuff should see plenty of minutes and a starting opportunity. The Kings were one of the least efficient teams on offense last season, averaging just 111 points per game. Even worse, they were one of the least efficient teams on the perimeter, shooting just 34% from beyond the arc.

Acuff Jr. should solve several of those problems, as he's a microwave-type scorer who shot 44% from deep in his freshman season at Arkansas. Let's not forget when he put up 49 points against Alabama in double overtime.

Acuff's numbers will depend on who stays with the team, but getting a shot as the Kings'  primary point guard puts him in a great position for the Rookie of the Year case. Named SEC Rookie of the Year, Acuff Jr. brings plenty of playmaking ability and is a player who can give you 20 points per night.

Caleb Wilson, Chicago Bulls (+950)

UNC's Caleb Wilson wanted to go to Chicago, and the Bulls found their match. He now has to live up to the hype after saying he "wants to be the best of all time," a reference made to Michael Jordan.

I'm not sure how that will pan out, but Chicago gets a player who averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.4 blocks in his one season at North Carolina. Wilson showed why the Bulls should draft him despite his freshman season being cut short due to a broken thumb.

Wilson brings size at 6'10" and should join a Bulls roster that will possibly see Colin Sexton or Anfernee Simons depart in free agency. He should be a great fit next to Nic Claxton, who was just acquired by the Bulls in a three-team trade. With Matas Buzelis already making the headlines, the Bulls have talent, but not a top-tier name. This is where Wilson can come in.

This is a player who can make the highlight dunks with a 7-foot wingspan. His 3-point shot is a work in progress, but he brings that athleticism and two-way versatility that can win him Rookie of the Year.

The Bulls are clearly in rebuild mode, and Wilson has the opportunity to make a major impact. There will be a learning curve, I'm sure, but Wilson is a massive rebounder who can finish at the rim and a player who can play multiple positions on defense. Now is the time for Wilson to prove why he can not only win Rookie of the Year, but also become the franchise face of the Bulls.

 NBA Rookie of the Year Prediction

Darius Acuff Jr. (+450)

• I don't always pick my sleeper as my winner, but I'm going with Darius Acuff Jr. here. He enters a unique situation, and we truly don't know what the Kings' roster will look like in October. However, we know this is a player who enters the conversation as the new point guard and a player who can give you 20 a night. He's a dynamic guard who will become the focal point almost immediately on the offensive end. The minutes, volume, and scoring will be there in Sacramento.