The Best NBA Draft Props

The 2022 NBA Draft is finally here. Now that the Golden State Warriors have taken home the latest Larry O’Brien trophy, NBA Odds shift to the season ahead. But before the new season gets here, the draft needs to take place, which means wagers for draft prop bets and betting specials are available. 

Much of the intrigue for this year’s draft starts with pick No. 4, a selection currently held by the Sacramento Kings. There’s a very good chance that one or more lottery selections gets dealt on draft night, considering several teams are reportedly open to trading their picks. No matter the outcome, the draft will assuredly affect NBA futures for next season. 

Several potentially franchise-altering prospects come to the 2022 NBA Draft from NCAA bluebloods like Arizona, Duke, Kansas, and Kentucky. There’s also real question surrounding what some marquee NBA franchises might do with their first selections. 

This year’s NBA Draft is scheduled to take place on June 23 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Here’s a look at some prop bets and betting specials for the 2022 NBA Draft.

NBA Draft Prop Bets: NCAA Betting Specials 

Players drafted in the 1st round from the University of Arizona	Odds
Over 1.5	-2000 (UniBet)
Under 1.5	+750 (BetRivers)

Over the last 10 years, 12 players from the University of Arizona have heard their name called in the NBA Draft. Eight of those players went in the first round, including Deandre Ayton, who went No. 1 overall in 2018. Last year was one of just three since 2013 that no Wildcat got the call. But that won’t be the case in 2022. 

Arizona features three players in the mix for a first-round pick, with forward Bennedict Mathurin leading the charge as a likely top-10 selection. Caesars set Mathurin’s draft position over/under at 6.5, favoring the under in that spot (-135). 

The other two prospects in play from Arizona who could be first-rounders are Dalen Terry and Christian Koloko. Terry, a 6-foot-7 combo guard, has length, athleticism, and a respectable shooting stroke. He has a wide variance among NBA Mock Drafts, going anywhere from No. 12 (Oklahoma City) to No. 25 (San Antonio). Koloko, meanwhile, sees his draft stock improving as well. The 7-foot Cameroonian center shows flashes of rim-running and rim-protecting potential. And he’s being mocked as a late-first, early-second round pick. 

DraftKings lists Terry’s odds to be a first-round pick at -2000 and Koloko’s odds at +350. 

Players drafted in the 1st round from the University of Kentucky	Odds
Over 1.5	-2000 (BetRivers)
Under 1.5	+750 (UniBet)

Since a two-round NBA Draft was adopted in 1989, Kentucky has had the most first-round selections with 43. Duke is next with 40 first-round picks. Kentucky also holds the record for the most picks in an NBA Draft from one school—six each in 2012 and 2015. In the common era of the NBA Draft (since 1966), Duke and Kentucky have had the most first overall picks with three each. 

While there’s a slim chance Duke take the lead if the Orlando Magic select Paolo Banchero, whose odds have improved of late (+185 at PointsBet, +225 at Caesars), Kentucky’s best shot at No. 1 overall this year is Shaedon Sharpe, who actually didn’t play a minute for the Wildcats this year (+20000 at PointsBet, +15000 at Caesars). 

Kentucky sports 34 selections in the NBA Draft over the last 10 years, including 25 in the first round. Sharpe will almost certainly be a lottery selection, as most sportsbooks set his draft position over/under at 7.5. Caesars favors the under in that spot with -110 odds. 

The other likely first-round selection in the 2022 NBA Draft for Kentucky is guard TyTy Washington. Most sportsbooks set his draft position over/under at 19.5, though Caesars lists the odds at -115 for both possibilities. 

Kentucky’s other draft prospect, forward Josh Minott, has mocked as a late-first, early-second round pick. DraftKings lists his odds of being a first-rounder at +1200. 

Players drafted in the 1st round from Ohio State University	Odds
Over 1.5	-1000 (UniBet)
Under 1.5	+550 (BetRivers)

Ohio State University is known more as a football school than a basketball one, but they’ve had some success in the NBA Draft as well. The Buckeyes sport 11 top-5 picks over the years, most recently D’Angelo Russell going No. 2 overall in 2015. Russell is one of two first-round picks for Ohio State over the last 10 years, joining Jared Sullinger in 2012. 

This year, Ohio State sees two potential first-round picks from their ranks entering the draft pool. 6-foot-5 shooting guard Malaki Branham could be a late lottery selection, possibly to the Cleveland Cavaliers at No. 14 overall. Caesars lists Branham’s draft position over/under at 14.5, listing the under with -110 odds and the over with -120 odds. PointsBet favors the over in that spot as well, listing it at -140.

The Buckeyes other potential first-rounder is forward E.J. Liddell. Caesars set his draft position over/under at 20.5, favoring the over with -170 odds. PointsBet also favors the over in that spot with -180 odds. There’s a chance Liddell slips from the first round, but it seems unlikely at this point. 

First Big 12 Player to be Drafted	Odds
Jeremy Sochan, Baylor	-334 (PointsBet)
Ochai Agbaji, Kansas	+200 (PointsBet)
Kendall Brown, Baylor	+2000 (PointsBet)
Christian Braun, Kansas	+3000

The Big 12 has a blueblood school in Kansas, which is coming off its fourth NCAA championship. While Kansas has stocked the NBA with high-level talent for years, the other Big 12 schools have also provided big-time prospects. Last year alone, four former Big 12 players went in the first-round, including the No. 1 overall pick, Cade Cunningham from Oklahoma State. 

This NBA Draft prop bet favors Baylor’s Jeremy Sochan to be the first Big 12 player to be drafted. Caesars set Sochan’s draft position over/under at 11.5, favoring the over with -160 odds. DraftKings set his over/under at 12.5, favoring the under with -170 odds. 

Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji stands as the only senior expected to go in the first round and could contribute at the NBA level right away. The 22-year-old wing had an outstanding senior season for the Jayhawks, helping Kansas win the NCAA tournament. DraftKings favors Agbaji to be the first pick for the Cleveland Cavaliers (+250), and the Cavs hold pick No. 14. 

NBA Draft Prop Bets: Team Betting Specials 

BetUS, Bovada, and DraftKings are among the sportsbooks listing odds for the first selection by specific teams: the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks. Each team holds a first-round pick, with the Knicks being highest on the board at No. 11 overall. The Cavaliers hold pick No. 14, while the Bulls have pick No. 18.

First Player Selected by New York Knicks	Best Odds
Jaden Ivey, Purdue	+350 (DraftKings)
AJ Griffin, Duke	+400 (DraftKings), +700 (BetUS)
Malaki Branham, Ohio State	+400 (PointsBet)
Johnny Davis, Wisconsin	+450 (DraftKings)
Jalen Duren, Memphis	+900 (BetUS)

According to a recent report, several teams have engaged with the Sacramento Kings in trade talks for the No. 4 overall pick. That selection, more than likely, nets a team Purdue’s Jaden Ivey, who’s largely considered the top guard prospect in this draft class. 

DraftKings listing Ivey as the favorite here, with +350 odds, to end up in New York indicates reports that linked the Knicks to Sacramento are true. Several teams remain in play here, and the Kings could very well keep the pick, but the Knicks have a combination of future picks and current players that may intrigue Sacramento. 

Should a deal with the Kings fall through, or another team offer a better package that New York, the Knicks seem like a solid landing spot for another Duke wing, AJ Griffin. Drafting Griffin would land the Knicks arguably the best shooter in the class, though there seems to be a wide variance in Griffin’s actual draft position. Earlier this week, DraftKings listed Griffin as the betting favorite to be the Knicks first pick with +500 odds. 

Ohio State guard Malaki Branham pilled even with Griffin earlier this week. The 19-year-old provides combination of size and scoring instincts with upside. 

First Player Selected by Cleveland Cavaliers	Best Odds
Ochai Agbaji, Kansas	+250 (BetUS)
Ousame Dieng, France	+400 (DraftKings)
Malaki Branham, Ohio State	+400 (DraftKings)
Jeremy Sochan, Baylor	+800 (BetUS)

Cleveland holds the final pick in the lottery for the 2022 NBA Draft and likely will look to add help on the wings, considering their twin towers of Jarrett Allen and last year’s No. 3 overall pick Evan Mobley. The Cavaliers made a push into the play-in tournament last season, so adding someone like Kansas senior Ochai Agbaji (+250 favorite at both BetUS and DraftKings) makes a lot of sense. 

France’s Ousame Dieng stands as an intriguing option for the Cavs, and DraftKings lists him with +400 odds to be Cleveland’s first selection. At 6-foot-9, Dieng’s a high-upside wing with intriguing defensive potential, but he could be off the board by pick 14. Dieng’s also favored to be the first international club player off the board in the 2022 NBA Draft. 

DraftKings set Dieng’s draft position over/under at 11.5, favoring the under in that spot with -145 odds. Caesars set his over/under at 12.5, also favoring the under (-150). PointsBet favors Dieng (-200) to be off the board before Agbaji (+145), as does DraftKings (Dieng -210, Agbaji +170). 

The potential twist here could be Columbus, Ohio native and Ohio State star Malaki Branham, who went to St. Vincent–St. Mary High School like LeBron James. Bovada set Branham’s draft position over/under at 14.5, listing the under with -115 odds and the over with -125. 

First Player Selected by Chicago Bulls	Best Odds
Jalen Williams, Santa Clara	+500 (DraftKings)
Tari Eason, LSU	+550 (BetUS)
Nikola Jovic, Serbia	+800 (DraftKings)
Ochai Agbaji, Kansas	+900 (BetUS)

The Chicago Bulls hold pick No. 18 in the first round but the Bulls are reportedly open to trading this pick in what’s shaping up to be a pivotal offseason in Chicago. The Bulls need defensive size and shooting, and both of those elements could be had with this pick.

Santa Clara junior Jalen Williams continues to rise up draft boards and seems like a good fit with Chicago, which is why DraftKings lists the 6-foot-7 forward as the betting favorite to be the Bulls first pick. BetUS lists Williams and LSU power forward Tari Eason, another good fit defensively, as co-favorites with +550 odds. Williams brings a massive 7-foot-2 wingspan and the potential as an offensive creator, which could soften the sting if Zach LaVine leaves in free agency. 

Eason stands as a good fit for a Chicago squad that could use some additional size and athleticism in the front court. Eason also has a 7-foot-2 wingspan and can defend across multiple positions, but he’s not as an accomplished shooter. 

Jovic’s inclusion here is interesting as an upside play or potential trade piece. The 19-year-old Serbian stands at 6-foot-11, with a 7-foot wingspan, and has upside as a stretch-big. 

NBA Draft Prop Bets: Betting Specials

Bovada lists a pair of interesting betting specials ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft. The first one plays off the NBA’s invite list to the green room at the draft, while the other looks specifically at the exact draft order of the top-3. 

Green Room Betting Special	Odds
At Least One Of The 22 Players in The NBA Draft Green Room to Be NOT Drafted in The First Round	+250 (Bovada)
All Of The 22 Players in The NBA Draft Green Room to Be Drafted in The First Round	-400 (Bovada)

22 players received an invite to the NBA’s green room, and each of them is favored to be among the first 30 players selected. Among the prospects further down the draft board, MarJon Beauchamp of the G League Ignite, who’s mocked in the 20s for the most part, still sees -1600 odds at DraftKings to be a first-round pick. Notre Dame freshman guard Blake Wesley, another green room invitee, saw his draft position over/under set at 21.5 by UniBet, who favors the over with -121 odds. 

Getting one of these invites usually indicates the player’s draft stock remains high, but there have been exceptions to that general rule. Some players invited to the green room who slipped to the second round of the NBA Draft include Bol Bol, Nic Claxton, and Rashard Lewis.

Exact Order Betting Special	Odds
Jabari Smith Jr., Chet Holmgren & Paolo Banchero First 3 Picks in The Draft (Any Order)	-250 (Bovada)
Exact Order Is NOT Jabari Smith Jr. 1st Overall, Chet Holmgren 2nd Overall & Paolo Banchero 3rd Overall	-155 (Bovada)
Jabari Smith Jr. 1st Overall, Chet Holmgren 2nd Overall & Paolo Banchero 3rd Overall	+115 (Bovada)
Jabari Smith Jr., Chet Holmgren & Paolo Banchero NOT The First 3 Players Selected in The Draft (Any Order)	+195 (Bovada)

The Exact Order NBA Draft prop is always a fun one to consider. Right now at Bovada, the favorite in this betting special is Smith, Holmgren, and Banchero to go in any order, with the exact order NOT being Smith first, Holgren second, and Banchero third trailing just behind. That plays on the recent rise of Banchero’s odds near the top of the draft. The Duke forward seems to be gaining steam as the potential No. 1 overall pick although he’s yet to workout for Orlando. 

The exact order of Smith, Holmgren, and Banchero sees +115 odds at Bovada, but each of those players is the betting favorites for those draft slots. One of those three not being among the first three players selected sees odds at +195. Although some scouts view Jaden Ivey as the second-best player in this draft, he’s still favored to be just the No. 4 overall selection. There’s a chance, though, that some team overwhelms Oklahoma City with a trade offer to jump up and select Ivey at No. 2, but those odds are long (+1400 at Bovada, +2000 at DraftKings).