FanDuel provides New York bettors with some of the best NBA player awards odds for the upcoming 2022-23 season, including boards for MVP, Rookie of the Year, and more!
The NBA tips off its 77th season this month and the player awards odds reflect support for superstars on potential title contenders. Teams near the close of their preseason schedules this week following a tumultuous offseason that featured dramatic twists and turns, including for both New York teams.
After all the coaching changes, trade demands, and roster moves, the 2022-23 NBA Championship odds look very similar to that initial release. Each of the last five seasons have ended with a new NBA champion, and no team has repeated as title winners since the Warriors did so in 2018 and 2019.
But that’s not the case for player awards like MVP, which has had consecutive back-to-back winners in Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Here’s a look at the NBA Player Awards odds at FanDuel ahead of the 2022-23 season.
NBA Player Awards Odds: Most Valuable Player
The NBA Player Awards odds board for MVP features the game’s transcendent talents. Recent years have seen some of the best players in league history take home the award. But the MVP hasn’t also won an NBA title in the same season since Steph Curry did so in the 2014-15 season for the Golden State Warriors.
Last season, Denver Nuggets all-star center Nikola Jokic took home his second straight NBA MVP award last season after averaging 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists-per-game, as well as setting the NBA’s highest single-season Player Efficiency Rating (PER) at 32.85. He became the first player to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and field goal percentage.
Jokic became just the 13th player in league history to win the award in back-to-back campaigns. He became just the second European-born player (Antetokounmpo) to win the honor more than once. Jokic currently holds +1000 odds at FanDuel to win MVP, but the award hasn’t seen a player win the honor in three straight seasons since Larry Bird did so between 1984 and 1986.
NBA MVP Contenders
Dallas Mavericks all-pro Luka Doncic stands as leader on this NBA player awards odds board for the third straight year (+450 at FanDuel). That said, Doncic still seeks his first MVP honor. He started slow last season, only to dominate in the second half en route to All-NBA First Team honors. If Doncic can lift his Mavericks team above some of the stiffer competition out West, he may score his first MVP.
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo stands among the odds leaders (+700 at FanDuel) as the board opens once again. After winning his first championship and an NBA Finals MVP in 2020-21 season, Antetokounmpo remains among the league elites. Last season, Antetokounmpo finished third in the MVP voting, behind Jokic and Joel Embiid, after averaging 29.9 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists-per-game. The Bucks figure to be in the title chase this season, and barring injury, Antetokounmpo should make a run at his third MVP.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (+700) checks in as the only other player getting better than 10-to-1 odds for this award. Embiid finished second in the MVP voting last year after setting career-highs in scoring and assists. The Sixers should be title contenders this season, which will help Embiid’s case for his first MVP.
Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant sees +1000 odds for this NBA Player Award. A win for Durant would mark his second career MVP. Other notable names on FanDuel’s board include Jayson Tatum (+1300), Steph Curry (+1500), Kawhi Leonard (+2400) and LeBron James (+2700). Should James manage to earn the honor, he’d tie Michael Jordan and Bill Russell for second-most MVP awards.
NBA Player Awards Odds: Rookie of the Year
One of the most intriguing boards among NBA Player Awards odds is Rookie of the Year. Last year, this honor went to Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, who finished the season averaging 15.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists-per-game and helped lead the Raptors to the playoffs. Barnes was the only rookie to rank in the top five in total points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
Barnes beat out Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley, getting just five more first-place votes on the ballots. Mobley finished the season averaging 15 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.7 blocks-per-game.
The NBA Player Awards odds for Rookie of the Year this season sport a clear favorite in Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (+200 at FanDuel). Banchero’s odds shortened dramatically following the season-ending injury to fellow top-three draft pick Chet Holmgren.
Three other players see better than 10-to-1 odds on FanDuel’s board. Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (+500) figures to get plenty of usage in the Motor City. Kings forward Keegan Murray (+500) flashed his scoring potential in summer league and could be the six player from the Kings franchise, first since Tyreke Evans in 2010, to take home the honor.
Jabari Smith, who most draft pundits pegged as the No. 1 overall selection heading into the 2022 NBA Draft, sees +700 odds at FanDuel. After falling to No. 3 in the draft, Smith could embark on a revenge tour as a rookie, though he’ll compete for offensive touches with high-usage teammate Jalen Green.
NBA Player Awards Odds: Sixth Man of the Year
The Sixth Man of the Year NBA Player Awards odds board features several familiar names from a year ago. Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro took home last season’s award after averaging 20.7 points-per-game off the bench, the second-highest mark for a reserve over the last 15 seasons. Herro led the odds board throughout the season and took home 96 of the 100 first-place votes for the award.
This season, Herro starts at +900 over on FanDuel. He recently signed a contract extension with the Miami Heat and could be pushing for a starting job this season.
The leader on FanDuel’s board is Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole (+500), who finds himself embroiled in some preseason controversy with teammate Draymond Green. While Poole 51 games last season, there’s a growing sense he’ll anchor the second unit for the Warriors in 2022-23. A talented scorer, Poole could provide Golden State with its first Sixth Man of the Year winner.
One player to keep an eye on with these NBA Player Awards odds is new Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon. The former Pacer came to Boston via trade this offseason and could anchor the Celtics second unit. Boston figures to be a title contender this season, so grabbing Brogdon’s +1300 odds at FanDuel could be a solid play.
NBA Player Awards Odds: Defensive Player of the Year
The Defensive Player of the Year odds board saw an unexpected winner last season. Celtics star Marcus Smart rallied from longshot odds late in the season to become the first guard to earn the honor in more than 25 seasons. Despite that distinction, Smart sees his DPOY NBA Player awards odds at FanDuel starting at +2000.
Five different players took home first-place votes in last year’s balloting for this award, including the leaders in this season’s opening odds, Rudy Gobert and Bam Adebayo.
Gobert went to Minnesota in an offseason trade with the Utah Jazz. He’s looking for his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award, an honor that would tie him for most all-time with Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace. He sees +450 odds at FanDuel to open the season, one where he’ll anchor a Timberwolves defense that could be frisky.
Heat center Bam Adebayo finished fourth in last season’s DPOY balloting and he figures to be in the running for the award once again. Adebayo (+700) remains one of the league’s most versatile and disruptive big men, one that continually registers among the leaders in most defensive metrics.
