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The 2022 NBA Draft gets underway on Thursday, June 23 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. If you’re wondering how you can get involved even if you can’t attend the draft in person, DraftKings Sportsbook has plenty of odds surrounding the draft that are available to bet on, so let’s take a look at some of those with odds for a team’s first draft pick.
NBA Draft 2022 market for a team’s first draft pick
Ousmane Dieng: +300
Ochai Agbaji: +350
Malaki Branham: +450
Best bet: Ochai Agbaji
Most mock drafts out there will have the Cavs picking either Agbaji or Branham, so they both should still be available by the time Cleveland’s pick comes around at No. 14. Agbaji, fresh off a national championship with the Kansas Jayhawks, averaged 18.8 points per game in his senior season, as well as 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists. While he can sometimes be a streaky shooter, his scoring skills improved with each year he played at Kansas so the Cavs would look to bring him in as another scorer to add to their offense as they look to make themselves contenders next season.
Jalen Williams: +500
Tari Eason: +600
E.J. Liddell: +1000
Best bet: E.J. Liddell
Liddell has been rumored as the most likely player for the Bulls to pick at No. 18, regardless of him being pegged lower in the odds. Chicago is in need of a forward who can score, and Liddell would absolutely fill that role as a 6’7 power forward. He averaged 19.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game last season at Ohio State, bringing stats that could prove incredibly useful to the Bulls should they decide to pick him. He also averaged 2.6 blocks per game in his junior season, so Chicago could easily use him as a four who can block and pull up to hit threes when needed. He shot 49% from the floor overall last season with the Buckeyes as he was known as one of the best players in the Big Ten.
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