If you look at this picture of Chet Holmgren, the first thing you notice is his arms look like the arms of a 7th grader. So much has been written about the spindly 7-footer’s physique, but when you look at those gangly arms you realize just how skinny skinny can be. You also realize that his body type is not ideal for the grind of an 82 game NBA season.
Sure, his injury can be described as a freak accident that could’ve happened while he was crossing the street, but the moment I saw the news flash across the screen I immediately thought back to Kentucky legend Sam Bowie. You remember Bowie, the gangly, awkward looking center that was all arms and legs and looked like an octopus out of water when he slithered up and down the court. Of course we all know how that ended. Bowie never played a full NBA season and the Portland Trail Blazers missed out on Michal Jordan and the chance to hang multiple banners in the Rose City.
Still, Chet should not go unrewarded for his pre-season efforts. The NBA should name Chet the inaugural Sam Bowie Rookie of the Year winner. This honor would be given to the NBA rookie with the most potential were he not to be injured. This way, injury prone players can still feel like they’re part of the action and young fans can feel a lot less silly when they ask for autographs during the season.
We interrupt this boring ass story to remind you that from pain and suffering comes great opportunity. A month ago, Paulo Banchero and Chet were both +350 to win NBA Rookie of the Year. So after Chet went down, I figured Banchero would be a prohibitive favorite at -150 or -200 to win. Shockingly, Banchero is still +200 to win ROY. Here is the rest of the field:
NBA Rookie of the Year Odds 2022-23
Paolo Banchero +200
Keegan Murray +450
Jabari Smith Jr. +700
Jaden Ivey +700
Bennedict Mathurin +1000
Jabari Smith is talented but way too inconsistent and will struggle on a Rockets team without a good floor leader to distribute the ball. Ivey is the most explosive but with Cade having the ball in his hands most of the game, Ivey won’t get enough touches to put up Banchero-like numbers. I guess you can make the argument that Murray is the most consistent rookie in the league and he should have the chance to make an immediate contribution on a Kings team desperate for stability and a shot at making the playoffs. but barring injury, isn’t Banchero a lock to win this award? He’s the most NBA ready player on the offensive end playing on a team that desperately needs offense. And he’s still at +200. What are we waiting for?
