One of the most loaded NBA draft classes ever surprisingly sees one name becoming a strong favorite to win Rookie of the Year. Third overall pick Cameron Boozer is the betting favorite and has been all offseason. However, the annual NBA General Manager poll shows that the league’s roster constructors view him as a strong favorite. Multiple variables rank Boozer higher than more talented players when it comes to rookie production.
The following results show Boozer getting 50% of the votes for a clear lead:
Who will win the 2026-27 Rookie of the Year?
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Cameron Boozer, Memphis – 50%
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Caleb Wilson, Chicago – 20%
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AJ Dybantsa, Washington – 17%
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Darryn Peterson, Utah – 13%
The top four picks of the 2026 NBA Draft all finished in the top four results here. However, the first two picks finished third and fourth in the results due to roles. Dybantsa is considered the best overall talent, but he must share an offense with All-Star teammates Anthony Davis and Trae Young.
A similar issue exists for Peterson on the Utah Jazz due to Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson and Keyonte George all having roles in the starting lineup. Wilson is the biggest threat to Boozer for the Rookie of the Year, but the latter is considered the better player to warrant such voting results.
Grizzlies Want Cameron Boozer To Win ROTY
One huge thing working in Boozer’s favor is that the Memphis Grizzlies want him to have a dominant rookie season. The other three teams to select top players have higher goals of making the playoffs or at least the play-in games.
Memphis trading away Ja Morant this past summer showed they are done with that and just want to rebuild a younger roster. Boozer is the new face of the franchise with fellow young talents Cedric Coward and Zach Edey not being dominant scorers to hurt him as much.
Expect the Grizzlies to give Boozer full trust from opening night with the offense set to feature him most. Memphis giving up on the core of Morant, Jackson Jr, and Desmond Bane in recent years sparked massive change. Boozer leads the new core this season and is expected to benefit as the Rookie of the Year favorite.
Cameron Boozer Ranked Lower In Another Poll
Another question from the poll focused on which rookie would be the best player years from now. Boozer fell from first place to third in this one. Dybantsa won that poll since he’s expected to eventually pass up Young and Davis as the face of the Washington Wizards franchise.
Results for the long-term future of today’s rookies:
Which rookie will be the best player in five years?
1. AJ Dybantsa, Washington – 33%
1. Caleb Wilson, Chicago – 33%
3. Cameron Boozer, Memphis – 23%
4. Darryn Peterson, Utah – 10%
Wilson tied AJ due to his athleticism and upside as someone expected to get better. Despite already being a top four pick, Wilson is forecasted to be far better than his current version for the Chicago Bulls. All four top picks have a lot of potential and high expectations, but Boozer must contribute faster due to his role on his team.
Cameron Boozer Gets Dominant Win In NBA GM Rookie Poll