▲The No. 1 pick, “Zebra” Victor Wembanyama, is the favorite for the Rookie of the Year crown.
[NOWnews Today’s News] The battle for the NBA Rookie of the Year has become intense, with the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama and Thunder’s Chet Holmgren facing off.
According to the international betting company “Bet365”, Wembanyama’s odds of winning the Rookie of the Year are only 1.37, which is better than Holmgren’s 3.10.
The rest of the players, including Brandon Miller of the Hornets and Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Heat, have exceeded 150 times and are almost eliminated.
When the media began to report that Spurs coach Gregg Popovich might retire, the Spurs won the lottery in last year’s draft.
They won the No. 1 pick and handed the talented Victor Wembanyama to Popovich, who may replace the Blackshirts in the future.
Win the championship.
However, as the season reaches two-thirds, Wembanyama’s rookie champion is facing a severe challenge, especially the strong rise of Chet Holmgren, and the competition between the two is very fierce.
According to statistics from the data website “Ball King INPLAYZ”, Wembanyama has performed amazingly every minute in the past month or so, averaging 25 points, 10 rebounds, and more than 3 blocks per game, although he only played in each game.
About 25 minutes in, it was clear that the Spurs team was deliberately protecting this future star.
▲Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, two unicorn-like super rising stars, will compete for the Rookie King. (Photo/AP/Dazhi Image)
After the Thunder’s 216-centimeter long man Chet Holmgren returned from injury, he realized his amazing talent.
The odds continued to decline, and even surpassed Wembanyama at one point.
The battle for the rookie king between the two may not become clear until the end of the season.
Wembanyama is not to be outdone. In the first three months of the rookie season, Chet Holmgren averaged 17 points, 8 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 3 assists per game.
His field goal percentage exceeded 50%, and most importantly It was he who helped the Thunder rise to become a power in the Western Conference, which is far different from the Spurs’ record at the bottom.
This is Holmgren’s biggest advantage in competing for the Rookie of the Year title.