Betting Odds Tighten For Magic Top Pick Days Before NBA Draft

It's turned into a three-horse race again.

Jeremy Brener | Jun 21, 2022

Betting Odds Tighten For Magic Top Pick Days Before NBA Draft /

ORLANDO - If the Orlando Magic's goal was to create as much uncertainty as possible in the final days leading up to the draft, then it has definitely executed its job well.

According to Bovada, Jabari Smith is still the favorite to be the Magic's pick, but the margin is thinning as Paolo Banchero is building a ton of momentum.

As of the release of this article, Smith has -200 odds to be the top pick, while Banchero has leapfrogged Chet Holmgren into second place with +180 odds. Holmgren sits slightly in third place with +200 odds.

Part of the reason behind Banchero's ferocious jump is the Houston Rockets' interest in the Duke forward.

The Rockets pick third in the draft behind the Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder, both of whom might take Banchero before Houston will be on the clock. After the Rockets traded Christian Wood to the Dallas Mavericks last week, the team acquired an additional first-round pick, which can be used to help the team trade up from either their No. 17 selection or No. 3.

With the third pick, the Rockets are basically having the Magic and Thunder make their decision for them after taking two of the top three prospects, but if they like one prospect in particular, it could be in their best interest to trade up. It could also be in the Magic's best interest to trade down, grab some additional assets, and still get the player it wanted with the No. 1 pick.

Who is that No. 1 pick? According to the betting odds, it really could be any of the top three.

Published Jun 21, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.