More bets have been placed on LeBron’s son at the betting houses than on any other rookie, despite the odds being 250-1. A fan has even wagered $1,000 on him.
It’s no secret that the 2024 NBA Draft class has been labeled by experts as one of the weakest in recent seasons. The most obvious sign of this is that in the first weeks of the Summer League, where almost all the drafted players are participating, but the player everyone is talking about is Bronny James, who was picked 55th in the Draft.
The top three picks, Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks), Alex Sarr (Washington Wizards), and Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets), have been overshadowed by the media attention focused on LeBron’s son.
And it’s not because LeBron’s son is excelling; in fact, his performance has been quite poor. In his first four games, he scored 14 points with 7/31 shooting from the field (22.5%) and a painful 0/15 from three-point range. In the fifth game, he improved slightly with 12 points, shooting 5/11 from the field and 2/5 from three. Despite the heavy criticism, fans seem obsessed with everything he does and everything happening around him.
His incredible favoritism in the betting odds
What no one expected, including probably him and his famous father, is that he would become the rookie receiving the most bets to win the Rookie of the Year title at the end of this season, according to ESPN.
It seems unbelievable. More bets have been placed on Bronny James to win this award than on any other player at various betting sites. It sounds absurd because it’s hard to believe that people would want to throw their money away.
The odds of being named Rookie of the Year have shifted since the start of the Summer League. Right now, Zach Edey, a 7’1″ 19-year-old center picked 9th by the Grizzlies, is the consensus favorite at betting sites.
However, the most popular choice among bettors is still Bronny James, who has a famous last name but very slim chances of winning that title. In fact, it will be challenging for him even to secure a spot on the Lakers’ main roster.
One in four bets are on Bronny.
LeBron’s son has attracted nearly one in four bets placed in the Rookie of the Year market on ESPN BET. Additionally, BetMGM reported that on July 6th, a bettor from Ontario placed a $1,000 bet on Bronny when the odds were 250-1. DraftKings also stated that only Zach Edey had attracted more money than James in this bet.
The betting sites acknowledge that four-figure bets on Rookie of the Year in July are rare and that such bets on any award are uncommon 10 months before the winner is announced. However, they are noticing undeniable interest in LeBron James’ son from bettors. The amount of money placed in this market on BetMGM is double compared to the same time last year.
