NBA Rookie of the Year race: Three players at top, but don't count out AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson just yet

With Caleb Wilson out with an injury, a clear top five has formed in the NBA Rookie of the Year race

Nov 13, 2026 at 12:09 pm ET • 9 min read

News broke on Thursday that Chicago Bulls forward Caleb Wilson will miss the next four to six weeks after fracturing his right hand. It marks the third separate hand injury Wilson has suffered during the last 11 months. He fractured his left hand and broke his right thumb during his freshman season at North Carolina, with the latter injury causing him to miss the end of the regular season.

Wilson was off to a hot start during his rookie season with the Bulls. The No. 4 overall pick was averaging 18.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals in his first 10 games and was one of the few bright spots for the 1-9 Bulls.

Missing the next four to six weeks would keep Wilson out until at least mid to late December. Although there is no 65-game minimum requirement to win Rookie of the Year as with other NBA awards, missing an extended period of time will likely see Wilson fall behind in what should be one of the most competitive races in recent memory. 

Caleb Wilson reportedly out 4-6 weeks with broken hand, taking away the only reason to watch the Bulls

Brad Botkin

Entering Friday, there appears to be a clear-cut top five in this season's Rookie of the Year race. Warriors forward Yaxel Lendeborg, the No. 11 pick, is the current favorite (+115 at FanDuel). After Lendeborg, Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer (+290) and Kings guard Darius Acuff Jr. (+320) have the shortest odds.

The top two picks in the draft -- Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa and Jazz guard Darryn Peterson -- are tied for fourth (+1600) in the odds. Wilson is next at +4000, with a steep drop-off after that. 

Dybantsa missed the first four games of the season with an ankle sprain, while Peterson got off to a slower start than some of his peers but has looked fantastic for the shorthanded Jazz during the last week and a half.

The current odds for Rookie of the Year (as of Nov. 13) are below. 

2026-27 NBA Rookie of the Year odds

Player	Odds
Yaxel Lendeborg, Warriors	+115
Cameron Boozer, Grizzlies	+290
Darius Acuff Jr., Kings	+320
AJ Dybantsa, Wizards	+1600
Darryn Peterson, Jazz	+1600
Caleb Wilson, Bulls	+4000
Brayden Burries, Bucks	+10000
Keaton Wagler, Clippers	+10000
Aday Mara, Thunder	+10000
Bennett Stirtz, Thunder	+10000
Mikel Brown Jr., Nets	+15000
Kingston Flemings, Hawks	+15000
Meleek Thomas, Cavaliers	+15000

Assessing the NBA's top rookies

Less than a month into the NBA season, three players have separated themselves from the rest. Boozer opened the season as the favorite to win Rookie of the Year, with Wilson, Peterson and Dybantsa not far behind in the odds. However, two players outside of the top five picks in a loaded draft class are in position to crash the party. Here is a quick scouting report on what we have seen from Boozer, Acuff and Lendeborg and how they can continue to stay in the race.

Cameron Boozer, Grizzlies

The things Boozer did well in college have carried over to the NBA. Since the 2010-11 season, no player in college basketball had a better box plus/minus (18.75) than Boozer. His freshman season at Duke was better than those of Cooper Flagg and Zach Edey, both of whom also won national player of the year honors. It speaks to how Boozer can make an impact on the floor when he isn't scoring. He has a great feel for the game and is already one of the best outlet passers in the league. He crashes the boards hard and is physical on both ends of the floor. 

However, one (small) concern was also an issue at times at Duke: rim finishing. Boozer struggled against bigger defenders at times in college, and he's running into the same thing in the NBA, shooting just 46.6% at the rim on 58 attempts, per Synergy. That number has improved over the last few games, but it's something Boozer will have to improve.

Yaxel Lendeborg, Warriors

Lendeborg has been fantastic and is a major reason why the Warriors are off to an 8-4 start. The pressure will be even greater over the next several weeks while Stephen Curry is out with an injury. He routinely took advantage of mismatches at Michigan, and he's doing the same in the NBA. His all-around game has taken tremendous strides over the last 12 months and he's going to continue to get better. 

Of course, the one knock on Lendeborg in the draft was age. He was the oldest player selected in the first round and just turned 24, but he's a perfect fit for Golden State given its win-now timeline. What has been most impressive for Lendeborg is his shooting. He is knocking down 42.6% of his 3-point attempts while taking 5.7 per game. Last season at Michigan, Dusty May told him to shoot more 3-pointers. It paid dividends for his overall game.

Darius Acuff Jr., Kings

He is the most polarizing rookie in this class, and he is being asked to do more than his peers on a nightly basis. Since having a rough shooting night in his NBA debut against the Clippers, his efficiency has been much better. People who don't watch the Kings (how can you blame them?) might not realize that the box score doesn't tell the full story. Yes, Acuff has attempted over 20 shots per game in each of his first 11 games, but he is also 13th in the league in potential assists (12), 12th in assist points created, and 10th in total assists (80). The game is really slowing down for Acuff in a good way. 

His passing was an underappreciated skill during his time at Arkansas. People will see the scoring numbers and immediately throw out a bad comparison for Acuff, but the truth is, Acuff is being asked to run the offense, be the primary scorer, and also facilitate. How many 19-year-olds in the NBA are being asked to do that? Right now, the answer is just him. Acuff will continue to put up numbers for a bad Kings team that is waiting for the trade deadline to deal some of the veterans on the roster.

Peterson showing signs of life after slow start

The debate surrounding the No. 1 pick was one of the biggest storylines in the lead-up to this year's draft. With Dybantsa going to Washington and Peterson to Utah, they ended up in similar situations on teams with established veterans that seemed ready to take the next step. But for the Jazz, it has been a nightmare season of injuries, with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen out for extended periods.

With everyone in the lineup, Peterson struggled to find a clear-cut role during his first few games. He finished in single digits in two of his first four games, which included taking just seven shots from the floor in his NBA debut. Coming out of high school, Peterson was best playing on-ball. However, when he got to Kansas, he played more off-ball. Part of that was due to cramping issues that sidelined him for an extended period, but Peterson has shown he can play both roles well.

The last four games have been excellent for Peterson and showed why he was the projected top pick entering last college basketball season. He has scored over 20 points in those last four, including a 26-point outburst against the Timberwolves. Peterson's shooting from beyond the arc has also been impressive during that stretch.

With so many key veterans out for Utah at the moment, Peterson has been pushed into an expanded role. It's going to be that way for the next several weeks. With Utah's season already looking like a mess, the organization's top priority should be developing Peterson into a primary option. If the last week is any indication, Peterson could get back into a very competitive Rookie of the Year race.

Making sense of Dybantsa's start

Thursday was a rough shooting night for Dybantsa during the most entertaining Wizards game of the entire season, which ended with a double-overtime loss at home to Detroit. Dybantsa shot just 2 of 10 and finished with five points -- the first time in his career he finished in single digits. However, Dybantsa did hit a clutch mid-range jumper to send the game to double overtime.

Outside of Kyshawn George taking seven shots in 26 minutes due to foul trouble, Dybantsa attempted the second-fewest (10) shots among starters. Dybantsa also didn't get to the free-throw line, which was shocking because one of his greatest strengths is drawing fouls.

Trae Young (23), Anthony Davis (21) and Alex Sarr (14) all attempted more shots against the Pistons. Dybantsa did contribute in other ways (eight rebounds and four assists), but that kind of game underlines why I'm hesitant to put Dybantsa in Tier 1 of the Rookie of the Year conversation. And trust me, it's not because of talent. Dybantsa is awesome.

The concern is that, with Davis and Young on the roster, the volume of shots for Dybantsa might not be there for him to win Rookie of the Year. Acuff is the primary option for the Kings. Lendeborg is now the de facto No. 1 option with Curry set to miss the next month. Peterson has been thrust into a larger role with veterans out. Boozer is putting up numbers on a nightly basis despite having a lower usage rate than Acuff, Wilson and Lendeborg.

Dybantsa is the face and future of Washington's franchise. He should be featured as such. If he isn't, he will likely fall behind the top three players in the race for the majority of the season.

Other rookies who have impressed

Even outside of the top four names, several other rookies have performed well this season. Although they will likely be longshots to win Rookie of the Year, here are some sleepers and others worthy of recognition.

Keaton Wagler, Clippers

It's time for the Clippers to start Wagler. The impact he has on the game off the bench is impressive. If he is given more minutes, he will shine. The stat that stands out about Wagler is that he is shooting better from beyond the arc (35.4%) than inside the arc (29.7%). He is shooting 86% from the free-throw line, which is a positive indicator for future shooting success. He will be fine.

Aday Mara, Thunder

Mara was a player I thought could make an immediate impact as a rookie because of his defense and offensive efficiency. Mara is shooting 60.3% from the field and is blocking 1.8 shots per game. Check and check.

Mikel Brown Jr., Nets

The flashes from Brown are must-see TV. It's the same sentiment as during his time at Louisville. If you put together a highlight tape of Brown's best plays, you would think he's the best guard in the class. He has played in just seven games this season and hasn't started because of a minutes restriction.

Kingston Flemings, Hawks 

Flemings has been great in spots off the bench and even as a starter. He is one of the most efficient rookies in the class -- albeit on lower volume than his peers -- and is shooting 52.1% from the field, 42.9% from 3 and 72.7% from the charity stripe.