Not too often do you see a late-second round draft pick having the most bets placed on them to win NBA Rookie of the Year, but then again bearing in mind it is LeBron's son, Bronny James, so it's understandable.
The first father-son duo ever in the NBA, will suit up together for the Los Angeles Lakers during the upcoming 2024-25 season.
When looking at the betting odds, Bronny has +30000 odds to win the ROTY award, and out of all the players that the oddsmakers listed, James Jr. has the least likely chance.
With this in mind, Bronny will attempt to defy the odds, and follow in his dad's footsteps, as LeBron previously won the award in 2003.
The most bet player to win NBA Rookie of the Year over the last 24 hours...
👑 BRONNY JAMES (+30000)
His father won the award 20 years ago 😳 pic.twitter.com/lXaFT2tIDj
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) June 28, 2024
The odds of some of the other 2024 NBA drafted players include: Alexandre Sarr: (+500), Zaccharie Risacher: (+750), Stephon Castle: (+750), Reed Sheppard: (+900), Dalton Knecht: (+1000), Zach Edey: (+1000).
Bronny is on the bottom of the list, however, that surely didn't stop fans from betting on him, considering the fact that he was also the most bet player to go No. 1 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, and ended up being the 55th pick.
Important to keep in mind, Bronny may spend a good portion of the season developing his game down in the NBA G League, playing for the South Bay Lakers.
When looking at his play on the collegiate level, many were surprised that Bronny even declared for the NBA Draft, as he didn't exactly have a standout season during his Freshman year at USC, averaging only 4.8 points (36.6% FG; 26.7% 3PT), 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 0.8 steals in 19.4 minutes per game.
With all that being said, scouts do feel that Bronny has NBA-upside and is built for the pros more so than college basketball.
The three-and-D combo guard is slightly undersized (6'2"), but he makes up for that with his quickness and intensity on the defensive side of the ball. Being that his father/new teammate is one of the best playmakers in the NBA, Bronny may get a lot of open looks off catch-and-shoot situations. The 19-year-old has shown his ability to knock down shots as a consistent three-point shooter, being that he made 12 3's in a row during the NBA Draft Combine shooting drill.
Ultimately, Bronny is just happy to be drafted, as he previously said the number one most important thing for him was "hearing his name called" on draft night.
Related: Rich Paul Talks Bronny James 2024 NBA Draft Stock
