DraftKings updated its odds on which player will end up as the #1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, and Anthony Edwards (Georgia) is the overall favorite at -110. Big man James Wiseman (Memphis) and LaMelo Ball (Illawarra Hawks) are also among the top-three betting favorites as a potential first pick in the NBA Draft. The consensus Player of the Year in the NCAA, Obi Toppin from Dayton, holds the fourth-best odds on the NBA Draft futures board.
DraftKings lists Deni Avdija, an overseas hoops star in Israel, at +1000 or 10/1 odds to get selected with the first overall pick.
Cole Anthony, the son of former New York Knicks point guard, Greg Anthony, is one of the long shots on the board at +5000 to get selected first. Anthony got off to a hot start with the North Carolina Tar Heels, but had knee surgery and missed a significant portion of the season.
2020 NBA DRAFT #1 PICK ODDS
Anthony Edwards -110
James Wiseman +175
LaMelo Ball +250
Obi Toppin +1000
Deni Avdija +1500
Killian Hayes +1500
RJ Hampton +2000
Cole Anthony +5000Odds via DraftKings
Only 22 teams advanced to the resumption of the NBA season to determine playoff seeding. It’s safe to say that the other eight teams will be vying for the lottery pick.
The worst teams in the NBA this season include the Golden State Warriors (15-50, Minnesota Timberwolves (19-45), Cleveland Cavaliers (19-46), Atlanta Hawks (20-47), Detroit Pistons (20-46), New York Knicks (21-45), Chicago Bulls (22-43), and the Charlotte Hornets (23-42).
Edwards or Ball?
The modern NBA is a shooters paradise and guards have become a premium these days. So, if you have the top pick, who would you select? The silky, smooth scorer from Georgia or the kid from LA who was born and bred to become a professional basketball player?
Anthony Edwards, 18, played one season with the Georgia Bulldogs before he declared for the NBA Draft. Coming into this season, Edwards was a top-five recruit in the entire country, and the best shooting guard prospect. Edwards didn’t disappoint Georgia fans this season. He averaged 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game as a freshman.
Edwards lit up Michigan State for 37 points at the Maui Invitational at the start of the season and never looked back. Just before the season ended prematurely due to the coronavirus pandemic, Edwards torched South Carolina for 36 points in a heartbreaking loss in overtime.
LaMelo Ball skipped college to play overseas instead. The youngest and most talented of the three Ball brothers, LaMelo signed to play with the Illawarra Hawks of the NBL (Australia’s pro basketball league). Ball excelled down under and he’s among the top picks. Lavar Ball, LaMelo’s father, believes his son would be a perfect fit for the New York Knicks. LaMelo’s oldest brother, Lonzo, currently plays point guard for the New Orleans Pelicans.
DraftKings lists LaMelo Ball at +250 odds to become the first pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, while Edwards is at the top at -110.
Big Man Wiseman
There was a time, not too long ago, where NBA scouts and general managers would be all over James Wiseman as the first pick in the NBA Draft. Big men were kings, especially someone towering at 7-foot-1. But in the modern NBA, unless Wiseman can knock down 3-pointers and defend on the perimeter, he’s going to be dusted by his 7-foot-plus colleagues (e.g. Kevin Durant and the Greek Freak).
Wiseman had an unusual season at Memphis. He played a couple of games before an eligibility scandal rocked the school and the NCAA. He sat out the rest of the season and declared himself eligible for the NBA Draft. Wiseman has the size and good outside touch, but scouts have very little game tape on him against good teams.
DraftKings lists Wiseman at +175 to become the first pick in the NBA Draft.
Obi Toppin, Ready to Roll
Obi Toppin, 22, will be the steal in the NBA draft. Toppin can be intersted into an NBA starting lineup on day one. If you haven’t seen any of his bong-rattling dunks, do a quick search for him on YouTube.
Toppin led Dayton (29-2) to one of their best seasons in school history. It’s a shame that Toppin and Dayton never got a chance to play in March Madness. Toppin and Dayton were destined for the Final Four and had a legit shot at an NCAA championship.
Toppin won all of the prestigious Player of the Year awards in college hoops, including the coveted John Wooden Award. As a sophomore, Toppin averaged 20.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He shot 63.3% from the floor.
In one of the last regular-season games in the Atlantic 10, Toppin posted a near-flawless game against Davidson. He scored 23 points and hauled down 12 rebounds in a victory for Dayton.
DraftKings lists Obi Toppin at +1000, or 10/1 odds, to become the first pick in the NBA Draft.
