The NBA season has begun, which means all eyes are on San Antonio Spurs’ rookie big man Victor Wembanyama.
While the league has had its fair share of rookies doing amazing things from the first time they stepped on the hardwood, there has never quite been a player with the skill set of the 7-foot-4 neophyte in the Association.
In his season debut against the Dallas Mavericks, Wemby stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, five rebounds, two steals, and a block. Although the Spurs ultimately lost the heavily contested matchup, the oddsmakers are anticipating a big year for Wembanyama.
How big of an impact is he expected to make this season? Let’s look at it from a betting perspective.
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Currently, Wemby’s the favorite to win Rookie of the Year at -130. His preseason play also has his odds of winning Defensive Player of the Year on the move.
His odds of winning the award have shifted drastically. They opened at +4000, moved to +2000 last week and now sit at +1300. Per BetMGM’s John Ewing, the public is also all-in, with 21% of bets on Wemby to win DPOY (most).
If he can secure both awards, he will become the first player in NBA history to do so.
This begs the question, can Victor Wembanyama defy the odds and clinch both the Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards?
On “Undisputed,” NBA legend Paul Pierce chimed in about the possibility.
“On the defensive end of the ball, that’s where I was thoroughly impressed,” Pierce exclaimed. “He blocks Kyrie’s shot from the wing, and then he makes threes effortlessly,”
“He can be Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year all in the same season. He has that type of potential,” Pierce continued. “When I watched him, you cannot score on this guy one; he can guard one through five positions,”
As you can see, Victor Wembanyama’s stellar debut and low odds for both awards have ignited great anticipation for the NBA season.
Will the Frenchman make history?
