Twitter: @GGirlSports
In case you missed the last article, tonight is the 2023 NBA Draft. I discussed the odds of the #1, #2 pick, and the exact 1-2-3 order and their odds. In this piece, player draft position odds, top 5 odds, and top 10 odds will be discussed. If you’re planning on watching the 2023 NBA Draft, it will be held at the Barclays Center, located in New York. In addition, the Draft is on June 22 at 8 p.m. Eastern, and will be televised on ABC (First round) and ESPN for the full draft. If you are looking for the best betting odds and stats, here is information to know:
Top 5 Draft Odds:
*Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook*
In previous articles, we discussed the profiles of Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson, Brandon Miller, and Amen Thompson. There are a few players that COULD move into the top 5, including Anthony Black, Jarace Walker, Cam Whitmore, and more. We will break down their full odds and player profiles below.
Top 10 Odds:
*Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook*
Anthony Black
*Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook*
Top 5 odds: +1200
Top 10 odds: -3000
Position: Two-Way Guard | Team/Country: Arkansas | HT/WT: 6-6 210 | Age: 19
2022-2023 Stats: 12.8 PPG | 2.1 STL | 3.9 AST | 5.1 REB | 30.1 3PT % | 45.3 FG %
Player Profile
Anthony Black was an ALL-SEC 2nd team and SEC ALL-FRESHMAN in his first season with the Arkansas Razorbacks. As a freshman, Black led the Razorbacks deep into the NCAA Tournament, in which their season ended against the Connecticut Huskies. Standing at 6 foot 6, Black is a versatile player that can do it all. He’s an extremely athletic player who has a vertical jump of 39”.
Strengths
Although he lacks a consistent three point shot at times, Anthony Black is a fantastic defender. In both the regular season and the tournament, we saw Anthony Black use his athleticism to get to the rim and finish. His size gives him the ability to catch lobs and dunk over defenders, which we’ve seen over the course of his freshman year. In addition, his size advantage gives him the ability to get to the free-throw line. We’ve also seen his ability to play excellent defense, in which he averaged over 2 steals in his first collegiate year.
Weaknesses
In addition, we’ve seen Black do it all, including getting up for blocks. Although Black isn’t the best shooter beyond the perimeter, he can work on that part of his game. We’ve seen him create his own shot and can catch and shoot. Additionally, He has fantastic post spin moves and can take matters into his own hands. Rather than a player who excels at one or two things, Black has skills sets in mostly everything. In addition to defending, driving to the basket, shooting, and catching lobs, he can also dish the ball out. Due to his size and strength, I believe he lacks the explosiveness compared to other guards and has inconsistent shooting. With that said, I would like to see him improve his 3-point shot.
Anthony Black is a top 10 pick in my eyes. It’s hard to see him entering the top 5 unless a particular team wants to trade up for him. According to Bleacher Report, Black had two workouts with the Washington Wizards since the Bradley Beal trade, and the Utah Jazz are interested in trading up for Black.
Prediction: UNDER 8.5. The Washington Wizards currently hold the 8th pick in the Draft, and the Utah Jazz hold the 9th pick. If Utah is interested in Anthony Black, there’s a very good chance they could trade up with Pacers, or the Rockets. Washington would be a great fit for Black, considering they are rebuilding and traded away start Beal.
Jarace Walker
*Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook*
Top 5 odds: +110
Position: Forward | Team/Country: Houston | HT/WT: 6-7 249 | Age: 19
2022-2023 Stats: 11.2 PPG | 1 STL | 1.8 AST | 1.3 BLK | 6.8 REB | 34.7 3PT % | 46.5 FG %
Player Profile and Strengths
Houston was one of the top teams in the country for a reason. Jarace Walker standing at 6 foot 7, has the strength and body structure of an NBA player. Walker was the AAC Freshman of the Year, and is extremely athletic for his size, given he weighs nearly 250 pounds. Over the course of the season and the tournament, we’ve seen Walker perform as an elite defender. His wingspan stands at 7’2 ½, and we’ve seen him block, protect the paint, and uses his strength to get down low in the post.
Furthermore, he can shoot beyond the perimeter. He is a big player that can be a force on both sides of the ball. To me, Walker is a true forward, and one of the strongest players in this draft. I believe his ceiling is very high, especially if he can work on his perimeter defense and his jump shots.
Weaknesses
Due to his size, Walker is not as quick as some other defenders, especially against three-point shooting. Although he shot nearly 35 percent from the three, he can be inconsistent at times, in which we saw in the NCAA tournament against Memphis and Cincinnati.
Prediction: My prediction is UNDER 6.5.
Walker is a big player that can stretch the floor and can play strong defense. Although his draft position is over or under 6.5, I truly believe he has the capability of being a top 5 draft pick come tonight's draft. The Pistons are sitting at #5, and already have young talent in guard Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. Detroit needs interior scoring, along with defense. I think he would fit great in Detroit. According to Yahoo Sports, Jarace Walker is predicted to fall to Indiana at #7 top play alongside Miles Turner.
Cam Whitmore
Top 5 odds: +1200
Top 10 odds: -3000
Position: Guard | Team/Country: Villanova | HT/WT: 6-6 235 | Age: 18
2022-2023 Stats: 12.5 PPG | 1.4 STL | 0.7 AST | 5.3 REB | 34.3 3PT % | 47.8 FG %
Player Profile
According to ESPN, Cam Whitmore’s draft stock is rapidly falling. Per ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Whitmore was seen “struggling at times with his shooting and intensity” during his individual team workouts. It’s important to note Whitmore has -200 odds currently to land in the top 5.
Strengths
Unfortunately, he missed several games of his first season with a thumb injury, and has shown he can shoot beyond the arc, and be a force in the paint. In the regular season, we saw Cam as an effective catch and shoot player. In addition, he’s great at reading defenses, especially in cut situations. He has shown extreme power and force at the rim and can use his size and strength to finish down below. His dunks are powerful, ferocious, and he is a player again that has multiple skillsets. In addition, I see Whitmore as a durable player, who will be able to play night in night out, especially given his frame size.
Weaknesses
According to multiple sources, Whitmore is reportedly struggling during team workouts and struggled in the tournament, I still see him as a top 10 player. Originally slated to be a top 5 player, I can see him falling anywhere from 6-10. Whitmore plays the guard position, and he needs to improve at facilitating the ball to his teammates. In basketball, you must be able to provide playmaking and facilitate to your teammates for tempo upkeep, especially at guard. Cam Whitmore played incredibly well in the Big East Tournament first round against Georgetown. He scored 19 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and shot 3-5 from the three, and 8-11 from the field.
It’s important to note he did not record a single, block, steal, or assist in the game against Georgetown. We especially saw Cam struggle in the Big East Tournament Quarterfinal against Creighton. Whitmore only scored 4 points in 28 minutes, and shot 2-7 from the field, and 0-3 from the three. Although Whitmore has had incredible games, including his 26-point performance against Xavier, we’ve seen his offensive numbers to be inconsistent at times throughout the season.
Prediction: OVER 5.5: According to Yahoo Sports, several mock drafts have the Detroit Pistons taking Cam Whitmore at the #5 spot. I personally don’t see this as a good fit, given Detroit recently drafted Jayden Ivey and Cade Cunningham. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him fall, potentially to the Magic at #6, or the Wizards at #8. I could potentially see him falling further.
Ausar Thompson
*Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook*
Player Profile
Top 5 odds: +110
Position: Forward | Team/Country: Overtime Elite | HT/WT: 6-6 218 | Age: 20
2022-2023 Stats: 16.3 PPG | 2.4 STL | 6.1 AST | 1.1 BLK | 7.1 REB | 29.8 3PT % | 56.2 FG %
Player Profile and Strengths
2023 is an unusual draft in a good way. 3 out of the top 10 projected picks are coming from either the G-League or the Overtime Elite League. Not only is Ausar Thompson projected as a top 10 pick, so is his twin brother, Amen Thompson. Although I think he is overshadowed by his brother, he has incredible footwork, and the ability to finish at the net. He essentially is a scorer and has extreme athleticism, in addition to playmaking abilities.
It's clear that Ausar Thompson isn’t quite there with his three-point percentage, although he can improve his shooting with practice and development. He excels in off ball screens, shoots off the dribble, in addition to hitting fadaways. For his size, he plays hard defense, and averaged more than 7 rebounds a game, and more than 2 steals a game.
Weaknesses
I truly believe the right coach and mentors can help Thompson with his shooting inconsistencies in the NBA. He's not as careful with the ball and creates turnovers a lot of the time. If he lands with the right team, he could be one of the best explosive two-way guards in the league. Much like his brother Amen, and Scoot Henderson, all three of these players have experience in professional basketball leagues.
Prediction: OVER 5.5
My prediction is Ausar Thompson over 5.5, however, he has been linked to the number 5 spot. Like his brother, Ausar is an extremely talented player who has experience in a professional basketball league. If he can limit his turnovers, and shoot consistently, he might be one of the best players in the draft. Right now, he is not the best catch and shoot player. He excels when he carries the ball in his hand, so I don’t see that working in Detroit as well as other teams. Maybe the Magic will take him at #6. Don't be surprised if he is taken top 5.
Taylor Hendricks
*Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook*
Top 5 odds: +1000
Top 10 odds: -2000
Position: Forward | Team/Country: UCF | HT/WT: 6-8 214 | Age: 18
2022-2023 Stats: 15.1 PPG | 0.9 STL | 1.4 AST | 1.7 BLK | 7.0 REB | 39.4 3PT % | 47.8FG %
Player Profile and Strengths
Hendricks, standing at 6 foot 8, is nearly a 40 percent three-point shooter. He's excellent with the catch and shoot, and we've seen him posterize over other players at the rim. He's extremely athletic for his size and has excellent blocking capabilities. He will also be a defensive force in the NBA that can guard multiple positions on the court. He stretches the floor, which is a key attribute needed in the league. I would also consider Hendricks to be an outstanding glass cleaner as well.
Weaknesses
Taylor Hendricks is a forward, however, we are entering an era of positionless basketball at times. I will say Hendricks has a post-game, which could improve, especially given his size, and athleticism. In addition to his three-point shot, a strong post-game can separate him from other forwards in this draft. Much like some players in this draft, Hendricks could improve his shooting inconsistencies, and could use some more strength when finishing at the rim. He's an excellent catch and shoot player, however, Hendricks is not a shot creator. Even though he's a defensive powerhouse, Hendricks lacks playmaking ability.
Prediction: UNDER 8.5
I absolutely love Taylor Hendricks, and it's not often that you see a top 10 pick out of UCF. I have him under 8.5, and I think he would fit in beautifully with the Indiana Pacers at the 7th pick. The Pacers need a Power Forward to play alongside Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Heild, Bennedict Mathurin, and Myles Turner. I don't think Hendricks will land in the top 5, however, I absolutely see him in the top 10.
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Sara Jane is a full-time content creator, focusing on both college basketball, the NBA, NFL, and writer of Ballislife.com. Don’t forget to follow her on Twitter/YouTube/Kick/Twitch/Instagram: @GGirlSports.
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