Jabari Parker the bookmaker favorite for 2015 Rookie of the Year
Jabari Parker was heralded as the player in the 2014 NBA Draft with the most NBA-ready offense, a safe bet to average 15 points a night from the word go.
He also landed in a favorable spot for a scoring rookie, on a Milwaukee Bucks team with precious few scoring options and nobody ahead of him on the depth chart at power forward, where he's expected to start. He's going to get touches right away, and he'll be the focal point of the offense.
Meanwhile, No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins landed in Cleveland, where he'll be behind Kyrie Irving for offensive touches, and perhaps even behind an incoming free agent. Wiggins also doesn't have as NBA-ready an offensive game as Parker, projecting as an instant contributor on defense but more of a project as a primary scoring option.
And so, despite the draft order, it's Parker who is the early favorite to win the 2014-15 NBA Rookie of the Year award, according to oddsmakers:
| Rookie | Odds | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| Jabari Parker | 3-1 | No. 2, MIL |
| Andrew Wiggins | 13-2 | No. 1, CLE |
| Julius Randle | 9-1 | No. 7, LAL |
| Dante Exum | 10-1 | No. 5, UTA |
| Nerlens Noel | 12-1 | No. 6, PHI, 2013 |
| Shabazz Napier | 12-1 | No. 24, MIA |
| Doug McDermotee | 14-1 | No. 11, CHI |
| Elfrid Payton | 14-1 | No. 10, PHI |
| Marcus Smart | 15-1 | No. 6, BOS |
| P.J. Hairston | 15-1 | No. 26, CHA |
[Courtesy bovada]
Oddsmakers have also put the over-under on Parker's scoring average at 15.5, a shade higher than Wiggins' 14.5.