As soon as the NBA Draft is completed, most of us immediately start wondering which player will be the best rookie and end up winning Rookie of the Year. As soon as the 2015 draft ended, that exact conversation started with Minnesota Timberwolves rookie and No. 1 pick Karl-Anthony Towns being measured up against Los Angeles Lakers rookie D'Angelo Russell and Philadelphia 76ers' selection Jahlil Okafor. This trio of rookies, along with a very talented class overall, will have plenty of opportunities to show their worth early and try to earn the ROY honors.
If you're expecting Towns to make it two straight Timberwolves rookies winning the award, you're going against the oddsmakers. In fact, not even the slick scoring Russell has the best odds to win Rookie of the Year. That honor and pressure is being bestowed upon Okafor, who is likely to be one of the few legitimate scoring options on the Sixers next season. Here are the odds from Bovada:
2015/2016 NBA Rookie of the Year
Jahlil Okafor 7/2
D'Angelo Russell 4/1
Karl-Anthony Towns 7/1
Emmanuel Mudiay 7/1
Justise Winslow 9/1
Joel Embiid 10/1
Mario Hezonja 16/1
Willie Cauley-Stein 22/1
Jerian Grant 22/1
Myles Turner 25/1
Sam Dekker 25/1
Frank Kaminsky 25/1
Kristaps Porzingis 25/1
Stanley Johnson 33/1
Cameron Payne 33/1
Trey Lyles 33/1
Devin Booker 33/1
Bobby Portis 33/1
It should be noted that the rookie who scores the most points per game is usually the one rewarded with the honor. Six straight winners have been the leading scorers in their rookie class, with Derrick Rose being the last rookie to win the award without leading all rookies in points per game. He finished 1.7 points behind O.J. Mayo, but still ended up winning the award.
Okafor is known for his incredible scoring ability on the low block, and he's joining the worst offense in the NBA. He should get plenty of opportunities for points. Russell could really jump ahead in the scoring department if Kobe Bryant's body fails him for another season. Looking at what Jordan Clarkson did after Kobe went down for the Lakers last year and imagining Russell's skillset could give him a huge advantage.
Joel Embiid having the sixth best odds is interesting, considering he's on the same team as Okafor, and we're unsure if he'll have the health to step onto the court this season. If you're looking for a dark horse in this competition, keep an eye on Detroit Pistons rookie Stanley Johnson. His 33:1 odds aren't good, but he could be one of the main offensive options in Detroit if all goes right.