The Duke basketball program had its entire 2024-25 starting five get drafted in the 2025 NBA Draft, including three players chosen in the top ten. Cooper Flagg went first overall to the Dallas Mavericks, Kon Knueppel went fourth overall to the Charlotte Hornets, and Khaman Maluach went tenth overall to the Phoenix Suns. All three former Blue Devils have the chance to compete for the NBA Rookie of the Year award, but what do the betting markets think? Flagg and Knueppel will have significant roles for their respective franchises as rookies, but Maluach may need to develop further before becoming a consistent piece. The betting odds reflect that, so let's take a look at where the former Blue Devils are slotted.
2026 NBA Rookie of the Year odds
According to FanDuel, Flagg is unsurprisingly the favorite. Knueppel is pretty high up in the rankings, but Maluach is being disrespected.
2026 NBA Rookie of the Year odds (Top 10):
Cooper Flagg: -195
VJ Edgecombe: +1000
Tre Johnson: +1000
Dylan Harper: +1100
Ace Bailey: +1200
Kon Knueppel: +1800
Jeremiah Fears: +6000
Walter Clayton Jr.: +6000
Cedric Coward: +6000
Kasparas Jakucionis: +8000
Not only is Flagg the favorite, but the former AP National Player of the Year is the overwhelming frontrunner to take home ROTY honors. It's interesting to see Flagg as such a heavy favorite, since the Mavericks have so much talent and depth, and it's unclear how often Flagg will have the ball in his hands.
Flagg is in a very rare situation for a top pick, meaning he was drafted to a franchise that wants to contend now. Typically, top draft choices are sent to bad, rebuilding teams. But for Flagg, he's looking to compete for an NBA Championship in year one. Jason Kidd said he plans to put Flagg at the point guard spot regularly as a rookie, so it will be fun to see how the star looks running the show.
As for Knueppel, he might have the best chance to take home the award of any Blue Devil. The sharpshooting defensive menace will fit perfectly with ball-dominant scorers LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, given that he thrives off the catch. Charles Lee recently gave high praise to Knueppel, saying that he will have a large role with the team as a rookie.
Maluach isn't even seen near the top ten, as the 7'2" big man's odds are way down at +15000. The South Sudanese native is still a fairly raw prospect, but should make his way into the rotation consistently throughout the season.