There's Big Value on Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren for Naismith Player of the Year
Believe it or not, we only have a month left of the college basketball season before conference tournament starts, and we find out who will be in the field for this year's edition of March Madness.
That means that if there's been any time to place a futures bet, it's now.
If you're looking for a dark horse or value bet to win this year's Naismith Award for College Basketball Player of the Year, look no further than Chet Holmgren.
But before we dive into why he's a good value bet right now, let's take a look at the top 10 odds to win the award via WynnBET.
Top 10 Odds to Win Naismith Player of the Year
- Johnny Davis (Wisconsin) +400
- Ochai Agbaji (Kansas) +600
- Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky) +600
- Kofi Cockburn (Illinois) +800
- Drew Timme (Gonzaga) +1000
- Paolo Banchero (Duke) +1200
- E.J. Liddell (Ohio State) +1500
- Keegan Murray (Iowa) +1500
- Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona) +2000
- Jaden Ivey (Purdue) +2000
Chet Holmgren is a Fantastic Longshot Bet
You may have noticed that Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren isn't in the top 10 in the list above. That's because he comes in at 13th on the list at +4000 (bet $100 to profit $4,000) odds. When I say he's a dark horse bet, I truly mean it.
But, according Evan Miyakawa on Twitter, Holmgren is the highest-rated player in the country as of today.
We have a new leader in the player ratings at https://t.co/cegyfz8ykZ: Chet Holmgren.
— Evan Miyakawa (@EvanMiya) February 6, 2022
You can see each player's change in BPR from yesterday's games below? pic.twitter.com/o8LFWJiE32
The seven-foot tall freshman is a shoe-in to be a lottery pick at next year's NBA Draft, assuming he declares, and it's for good reason. He's freakishly athletic for his height, and has been a fantastic addition for Gonzaga this season. He's averaging 14.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.3 blocks, and 2.1 assists per game this year.
He may not lead the nation in any one category, but he's well-rounded and contributes in every facet of the game. His biggest strength is his blocks, he ranks seventh in the country averaging 3.3 per game.
We already know how dominant Gonzaga is this season, and a big part of that is due to Holmgren's play. If you want a longshot bet to dabble on, Holmgren is your guy at +4000.