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2025-26 NBA Rookie Of The Year Odds: Cooper Flagg Heavy Favorite

2025-26 NBA Rookie Of The Year Odds: Cooper Flagg Heavy Favorite

Fox Sports4 days ago

The 2025 NBA Draft is on the horizon.
And while we still don't know exactly where each player will land, bettors are already getting in on the Rookie of the Year action for next season.
At BetMGM, Cooper Flagg is currently the heavy favorite to win ROY at -400. The 6-foot-9 forward from Duke also has the shortest odds at -10000 to be selected No. 1.
Even though the Duke superstar is the odds-on favorite in this spot, you never know what could happen over the course of a season.
Stephon Castle won the award most recently after opening third on the board at around +650 behind Alex Sarr, who opened as the favorite.
Will Flagg live up to the hype next season? Let's dive into the odds at BetMGM as of June 24.
Odds to win NBA Rookie of the Year 2025-26
Cooper Flagg: -400 (bet $10 to win $12.50 total)
Ace Bailey: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Tre Johnson: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Dylan Harper: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Walter Clayton Jr: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)
V.J. Edgecombe: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Kon Knueppel: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
All other players +3000 or longer odds
Cooper Flagg dazzled as a Blue Devil while at Duke. He averaged 18.9 points, 7.5 boards and 4.1 assists per game.
But according to "The Herd" co-host Jason McIntyre, the forward might not even start next season, which could impact his ROY campaign.
"My guess is that … Flagg is the team's sixth man next season before being ushered in as a starter in his second year," he wrote.
The next player on the board is Rutgers' Ace Bailey at +500. Bailey averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and one steal per game last season.
Like Flagg, Bailey might also come off the bench next season — especially if he goes to a team like the 76ers, who already have the likes of Paul George in the rotation.
The Scarlet Knight could end up being drafted by the Wizards. In Washington, he has a better chance of stepping in as a starter, which could boost his ROY stock.
Rounding out the top three is the Longhorns' Tre Johnson at +700.
After shooting a whopping 39.7% from three on 6.8 attempts per contest, McIntyre likes Tre's Rookie of the Year odds — especially if the Wizards draft him.
"He is not a bad bet for Rookie of the Year because he's going to probably average 18 a game on this bad team."
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"It's almost more normal to break through that way rather than come in as LeBron James or Cooper Flagg" - Steve Nash warns Flagg after his draft
"It's almost more normal to break through that way rather than come in as LeBron James or Cooper Flagg" - Steve Nash warns Flagg after his draft

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"It's almost more normal to break through that way rather than come in as LeBron James or Cooper Flagg" - Steve Nash warns Flagg after his draft

"It's almost more normal to break through that way rather than come in as LeBron James or Cooper Flagg" - Steve Nash warns Flagg after his draft originally appeared on Basketball Network. If we take a look at the stars that have marked the last decade of basketball in the league, we arrive at a very interesting conclusion that got Steve Nash's and LeBron James' attention and it's something Cooper Flagg should be aware of it as well. Advertisement The last 10 MVP award winners are, in order: Stephen Curry (7th pick in the first round), Russell Westbrook (4th pick in the first round), James Harden (3rd pick in the first round), followed by Giannis Antetokounmpo twice (15th pick in the first round), Nikola Jokic three times (41st pick in the second round), Joel Embiid (1st pick of the second round) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (11th pick in the first round). Franchise players are more and more often coming out of nowhere, and usually, they are not expected to reach such heights. James and Nash discussed this topic after the draft, where Cooper Flagg was already predicted as the future star of the NBA after being picked number one overall by the Dallas Mavericks. "When you're selected with the first pick, the expectations are automatically put on you. It doesn't matter if they're right or wrong," LeBron said on the "Mind the Game" podcast. "Cooper Flagg is the same age I was when I started. The expectations are such that you place an 18-year-old out there and he's supposed to be the best right away. I think that's unfair, but also something that kids like Cooper and I can use as motivation," he continued. Second-youngest number-one draft pick in league history Flagg is actually the second-youngest number one draft pick in league history. Had he been just 11 days younger, he wouldn't have even been eligible to enter this draft, while King James was eight days younger than Flagg is now when he was selected. Long before their draft selections, a narrative had already begun to form around the idea that they would be the next face of the league. Advertisement Meanwhile, in the NBA, the trend of players becoming stars even though they're lower draft picks continue more and more, as we mentioned earlier in the text and who go on to lead their teams all the way to championships. Bron and Nash, in their conversation, specifically touched on Kawhi Leonard as a great example. "We already mentioned Kawhi. We don't know if Kawhi would've become what he is without the habits he developed with the Spurs. He would obviously be great, but he had the time to develop his skills, to be around Tony, Manu, Timmy and Pop," James said. Related: Michael Jordan shows off his $115 million luxurious superyacht in Croatia Nash pointed out the biggest problem Nash followed up by pointing out that there are far more players who break through from the background than those who live up to expectations like James. Advertisement "There are way more of those kinds of stories than ones like yours. I don't remember Kawhi, Giannis or Jokic being on a lot of radars. The league is filled with players of that profile who somehow made it through an alternate path," he stated. "It's almost more normal to break through that way, rather than come in as LeBron James or Cooper Flagg," Nash concluded. The latest example of a player who hasn't lived up to those expectations - at least so far - is Zion Williamson. Even though he's still young enough and has shown on the court that he can play at the highest level, some time has passed and it's fair to say that he definitely hasn't fulfilled that potential yet, mostly due to injuries. When we compare that path with the one taken by Jokic or Kawhi, who emerged out of nowhere and progressed without the pressure of expectations, the point of the conversation between James and Nash becomes clear. Cooper Flagg carries a huge burden on his shoulders and no one can say for sure how he'll handle that pressure. Advertisement Related: "Let's not act as if we don't live in America" - ESPN analyst predicts Cooper Flagg will have a similar impact on the NBA as Caitlin Clark has on the WNBA This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.

Cooper Flagg is ready to do whatever the Mavs ask
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Cooper Flagg is ready to do whatever the Mavs ask

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2025 NBA Summer League schedule: When do Cooper Flagg, Bronny James play?
2025 NBA Summer League schedule: When do Cooper Flagg, Bronny James play?

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2025 NBA Summer League schedule: When do Cooper Flagg, Bronny James play?

USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change. Cooper Flagg was the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft as expected, and the league isn't wasting any time putting a spotlight on him for his first potential appearance on the court with the Dallas Mavericks. The NBA released its 2025 summer league schedule on Friday, and a primetime matchup between the Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers that could pit Flagg against Bronny James is on tap for the first day of the NBA 2K26 Summer League. Flagg and Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said Thursday he will play for the Dallas summer league team and NBA insider Marc Stein confirmed James is slated to play for the Lakers' summer league team for the second year in a row. Advertisement If that weren't enough, Flagg's second summer league game with Dallas could be against the San Antonio Spurs and No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper. 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Watch NBA Summer League with Fubo 2025 NBA Summer League schedule 2025 California Classic SL All games played at Chase Center in San Francisco; all times Eastern Advertisement Saturday, July 5 San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat : 4:30 p.m. on NBA TV Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors: 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2 Sunday, July 6 Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat : 4:30 p.m. on NBA TV San Antonio Spurs vs. Golden State Warriors: 6:30 p.m. on NBA TV Tuesday, July 8 Miami Heat vs. Golden State Warriors : 7 p.m. on ESPN+ Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs: 10 p.m. on ESPN Salt Lake City Summer League All games played at Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City; all times Eastern Saturday, July 5 Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder : 7 p.m. on ESPNU Philadelphia 76ers vs. Utah Jazz: 9 p.m. on ESPN Monday, July 7 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Philadelphia 76ers : 7 p.m. on ESPN Memphis Grizzlies vs. Utah Jazz: 9 p.m. on NBA TV Tuesday, July 8 Memphis Grizzlies vs. Philadelphia 76ers : 7 p.m. on NBA TV Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz: 9 p.m. on NBA TV NBA 2K26 Summer League All games played at either Thomas & Mack Center or Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas; all times Eastern Thursday, July 10 Friday, July 11 Saturday, July 12 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Milwaukee Bucks : 3:30 p.m. on NBA TV^ Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs : 4 p.m. on ESPN* Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder : 5:30 p.m. on NBA TV^ Charlotte Hornets vs. Philadelphia 76ers : 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2* Sacramento Kings vs. Chicago Bulls : 8 p.m. on NBA TV^ Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Pelicans : 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2* Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets : 10 p.m. on NBA TV^ Memphis Grizzlies vs. Portland Trail Blazers: 10:30 p.m. on ESPN2* Sunday, July 13 Phoenix Suns vs. Atlanta Hawks : 3:30 p.m. on NBA TV^ Detroit Pistons vs. Houston Rockets : 4 p.m. on ESPN2* New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics : 5:30 p.m. on NBA TV^ Toronto Raptors vs. Orlando Magic : 6 p.m. on ESPN2* Miami Heat vs. Cleveland Cavaliers : 7:30 p.m. on NBA TV^ Brooklyn Nets vs. Washington Wizards : 8 p.m. on ESPN2* Milwaukee Bucks vs. Los Angeles Clippers : 9:30 p.m. on NBA TV^ Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz: 10 p.m. on ESPN2* Monday, July 14 Atlanta Hawks vs. Houston Rockets : 4:30 p.m. on NBA TV* Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers : 6 p.m. on ESPNU^ Charlotte Hornets vs. Dallas Mavericks : 6:30 p.m. on NBA TV* Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat : 8 p.m. on ESPNU^ Utah Jazz vs. San Antonio Spurs : 8:30 p.m. on NBA TV* Phoenix Suns vs. Sacramento Kings : 10 p.m. on ESPNU^ Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers: 10:30 p.m. on NBA TV* Tuesday, July 15 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Detroit Pistons : 4:30 p.m. on NBA TV* Brooklyn Nets vs. New York Knicks : 6 p.m. on ESPN2^ Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Orlando Magic : 6:30 p.m. on NBA TV* Toronto Raptors vs. Denver Nuggets : 8 p.m. on ESPN+^ Philadelphia 76ers vs. Washington Wizards : 8:30 p.m. on NBA TV* Portland Trail Blazers vs. New Orleans Pelicans : 10 p.m. on ESPN^ Golden State Warriors vs. Memphis Grizzlies: 10:30 p.m. on NBA TV* Wednesday, July 16 Sacramento Kings vs. Cleveland Cavaliers : 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2* Phoenix Suns vs. Minnesota Timberwolves : 5 p.m. on NBA TV^ Milwaukee Bucks vs. Chicago Bulls : 5:30 p.m. on ESPN2* Orlando Magic vs. Brooklyn Nets : 7:30 p.m. on NBA TV^ Dallas Mavericks vs. Philadelphia 76ers : 8 p.m. on ESPN* New Orleans Pelicans vs. Oklahoma City Thunder : 9:30 p.m. on NBA TV^ Washington Wizards vs. Utah Jazz: 10 p.m. on ESPN* Thursday, July 17 Detroit Pistons vs. Miami Heat : 4 p.m. on NBA TV^ Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks : 4:30 p.m. on ESPN2* Atlanta Hawks vs. Memphis Grizzlies : 6 p.m. on NBA TV^ San Antonio Spurs vs. Charlotte Hornets : 7 p.m. on ESPN* Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trail Blazers : 8 p.m. on NBA TV^ Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers : 9 p.m. on ESPN* Golden State Warriors vs. Toronto Raptors : 10 p.m. on NBA TV^ Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Clippers: 11 p.m. on ESPN2* Friday, July 18 TBD consolation game : 4 p.m. on NBA TV* TBD consolation game : 6 p.m. on NBA TV* TBD consolation game : 7 p.m. on ESPN+^ TBD consolation game : 8 p.m. on NBA TV* TBD consolation game : 9 p.m. on ESPN^ TBD consolation game: 10 p.m. on NBA TV* Saturday, July 19 TBD consolation game : 3:30 p.m. on NBA TV^ Semifinal game : 4 p.m. on ESPN* TBD consolation game : 5:30 p.m. on NBA TV^ Semifinal game : 6 p.m. on ESPN* TBD consolation game : 7:30 p.m. on NBA TV^ TBD consolation game : 8 p.m. on ESPN+* TBD consolation game: 9:30 p.m. on NBA TV^ Sunday July 20 TBD consolation game : 6 p.m. on ESPNU* TBD consolation game : 8 p.m. on ESPNU* Championship game: 10 p.m. on ESPN* *game played at Thomas & Mack Center^game played at Cox Pavilion This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA Summer League schedule 2025: Start date, TV, time for every game

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