The 2026 NBA Draft Class was considered one of the best in recent memory and that should set up an incredibly compelling Rookie of the Year race. There is no clear favorite in the betting odds, with Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Caleb Wilson and Darius Acuff Jr. all in the mix.
But history has shown us that even in a season with a slew of explosive rookies, one will inevitably separate themselves from the pack and seize hold of the top spot. Take a stroll down memory lane and see who claimed Rookie of the Year for each of the last 15 seasons.
How many of the last 15 NBA Rookies of the Year can you remember?
Who are the favorites for 2027 NBA Rookie of the Year?
Cam Boozer, Memphis Grizzlies: Boozer went No. 3 in the draft to the Memphis Grizzlies but his polished skill set and the team context absolutely have him set up for success. He averaged 18.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game in Summer League on 49/41/76 shooting splits, and did it in just 28 minutes per game. The Grizzlies have already moved Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant, clearing the way for Boozer to be their primary offensive fulcrum and give him plenty of opportunity to put up huge numbers.
AJ Dybantsa, Washington Wizards: Dybantsa was the No. 1 pick and profiles as an explosive scorer. In a normal season, he'd be the overwhelming ROY of the favorite but this rookie class is incredibly deep and Dybantsa joins a Washington Wizards' team with its eyes on making the playoffs. He should be impressive but he'll also be sharing the ball with Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson and Alex Sarr, which could depress his raw stats.
Darryn Peterson, Utah Jazz: Peterson may struggle with efficiency and will be sharing the ball on a loaded Utah Jazz team that has its eyes on the playoffs. But he's shown he's a gifted scorer and could really take off in the second half of the season as he settles into a defined offensive role and the Jazz play games with serious stakes fighting for the playoffs. (He's also the the most likely of these five favorites to have an actual shot at helping his team make the postseason).
Caleb Wilson: Chicago Bulls: Wilson was seen as the consensus fourth-best player in this class but he was arguably the most impressive player at Summer League of any experience level. He only played four games but put up 23.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.5 blocks per game, shooting 50 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc. on the rebuilding Chicago Bulls, he's going to have a lot of defensive responsibility and get a lot of easy buckets thanks to the gravity of Norm Powell and the passing of Josh Giddey.
Darius Acuff Jr., Sacramento Kings: He won't have much help this season, as the Sacramento Kings may have the worst roster in the entire league. Acuff put up 20.8 points and 4.6 assists per game in Summer League but really struggled with efficiency, shooting under 40 percent from the field and under 30 percent from beyond the arc. The good news for his ROY case is that he's going to have total control of the offense and the freedom to learn through mistakes.
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