Cameron Boozer wasn't the No. 1 pick in the draft. He thinks he should have been. You want players of his caliber to have that confidence. It's a necessary requirement of superstardom.
Much to the delight of Memphis Grizzlies fans, Boozer will enter the NBA with a chip on his shoulder. After being selected with the No. 3 pick, Boozer wants to come in and immediately show the world that he should have been the first pick.
Oddsmakers certainly expect him to do just that.
On Wednesday, FanDuel released its opening odds for the 2026-27 NBA Rookie of the Year. Boozer, despite being the third pick, leads the way at +240. AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson, the two players selected ahead of Boozer, are tied for second at +400.
Cameron Boozer is the betting favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year
That's the thing about Vegas and betting odds. They don't get caught up in the silly pre-draft narratives. They are only interested in facts. And the fact is, Boozer is the reigning National Player of the Year in college basketball, outperforming both Dybantsa and Peterson as freshmen this past season.
That's not a new development. Boozer has been the best player at every level of basketball he's ever played in. Obviously, the NBA will bring a significantly enhanced challenge to that, but you don't have to go out on a limb to believe he's going to be the best player from his draft class.
You certainly don't have to go out on a limb to say that he's going to have the quickest impact. Boozer was considered, even by his biggest skeptics, to be the safest prospect in this class. In Memphis, he won't have to share the spotlight like Dybantsa and Peterson will in Washington and Utah, respectively.
Boozer will be the offensive epicenter for the Grizzlies immediately. He's the face of the franchise as a rookie.
Dybantsa and Peterson will likely be down the road, but they will have other stars around them currently. The Wizards acquired both Trae Young and Anthony Davis at the trade deadline, both former All-Stars who will require significant offensive touches, which will limit Dybantsa's.
The Jazz acquired Jaren Jackson Jr. at the deadline and also have Lauri Markkanen and a fleet of talented youngsters who will require touches.
Both represent the future for their teams, but Boozer's path to producing big numbers is a lot cleaner. The betting odds reflect that.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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