NBA Rookie of the Year Pick
An intriguing NBA rookie class features one deemed “superstar” in Ben Simmons. Will he be the runaway winner of the Rookie of the Year in the 2016-17 NBA Season?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Simmons is the clear favorite to win the honor, as he has 3/2 odds to win. Other short odds to win are Brandon Ingram (13/2) and Kris Dunn (7/1).
Simmons was the top overall pick by the struggling 76ers. In his lone season with LSU in college, he averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 56 percent from the floor and 33 percent from 3-point land.
Ingram was the second overall pick by the L.A. Lakers. He also had just one year of college, playing for Duke. He averaged 17.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. He has great length for a 6-9 small forward, but is just 190 pounds.
Dunn was taken fifth overall by the Timberwolves after spending four years at Providence. He is coming off a 2015-16 season where he averaged 16.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 2.5 steals per game.
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The last two years has seen the top overall pick win the Rookie of the Year honor. They have also won it four of the last six years. Dunn doesn’t seem like a good pick to me because the last two Rookies of the Year also come from Minnesota. There is too much talent for Dunn to really standout this year. Ingram has potential, but his size concerns me and he doesn’t strike me as a player that can really take a game over. Simmons has the all-around skills to take the ball and run when he needs to. The 76ers are still a mess and in need of an identity, which he can provide. Look for him to be the ROY for this upcoming season.
2016-17 NBA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR PICK: BEN SIMMONS 3/2