Griffin Rookie of the Year favorite

Submitted by TSB Editor on August 12, 2009 - 1:09pm

It’s two months since the NBA draft and two months before the 2009-2010 season starts, but online sportsbook 5Dimes.com is predicting Blake Griffin will be Rookie of the Year.

And they are putting their money and reputation on the line by making the No. 1 pick of the Los Angeles Clippers a +100 favorite. Considering the busts that have happened at No. 1 and considering the history of bad luck and bad management with the Clips, this is risky territory.

And it also provides some interesting NBA betting value on the other top picks in the draft, who may have gone to better situations.
Take Tyreke Evans, the 6-foot-5 athletic monster at point guard for Sacramento. The Memphis product is +675, meaning a $100 wager on him would pay $675.

Stephen Curry is the second choice according to 5Dimes.com, even though he was taken seventh overall by Golden State. The hero of two Davidson Cinderella runs in March Madness can bomb from long range and should fit well in the run-and-gun system. He is +500 to win.

A pair of point guards ended up in Minnesota and both appear on the 5Dimes Rookie of the Year odds list. Ricky Rubio, the Spanish wonderkid, is +950, while Jonny Flynn of Syracuse is short (5-foot-11) but tough as nails and a tremendous scorer and competitor. He is +975 to win the honor.

Interestingly, No. 2 pick Hasheem Thabeet, the 7-foot-3 defensive stopper from UConn, is not listed. Perhaps 5Dimes oddsmakers figure he won’t be a factor in Memphis until he gains some weight and experience.

No. 3 pick James Harden does to Oklahoma City where he will compete for floor time with other talented youngsters. Still, he is on the board here at +825.

Here is the full list of NBA Rookie of the Year future odds courtesy of 5Dimes.com.

Blake Griffin +100
Stephen Curry +500
Tyreke Evans +675
James Harden +825
Ricky Rubio +950
Jonny Flynn +975
Gerald Henderson +1000