2023 NBA Draft Betting Guide

As we hit a point in the sports schedule where it is predominantly baseball being played and bet on, the NBA Draft offers a nice break in the action to wager on another sport for a night. While this year's draft features a number one pick that has been decided for what feels like three years, the rest of the action could be as unpredictable and entertaining as ever, with big names on the trading block and tons of potential in the lottery.

We’ll break down what plays we are targeting and more based on the information that is slowly coming out this week, with the draft set to take place on Thursday. All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook unless noted otherwise.

Player Draft Position Over Bets

Cason Wallace Draft Position Over 12.5 (-130): The Kentucky guard has been floating anywhere from the end of the lottery to the late teens in recent mocks, and he is one of those guys that could end up falling a bit due to trades. He was brought in for a workout with the Atlanta Hawks the week of the draft, which seems a bit telling, and with them picking 15th, I feel like he would be closer to their pick as things start to fall into place.

Gregory “GG” Jackson Draft Position Over 26.5 (-160) on Bet365: After reclassifying and playing college basketball a year early, Jackson showed flashes of immense potential all season which had him going in the teens in most early mock drafts. Those landing spots for him have changed, however, due to a string of allegedly bad workouts and interviews. Jackson is one of those guys I would not be shocked to see end up going early in the second round.

Jordan Hawkins Over 15.5 (-150): A lot of reports have come out that Hawkins has been shooting the ball exceptionally well in workouts but even with that, there are certain guys that teams seem to prefer, for example, Gradey Dick or Jalen Hood-Schifino. Add in the fact that Keyonte George’s name has been heavy in trade talks, I think a team looking for shooting will hope Hawkins falls into their lap anywhere in the 16 to 21 range.

Player Draft Position Under Bets

Jarace Walker Draft Position Under 6.5 (+140): If there is one name I have consistently seen linked to the Pistons at five, it’s Walker. The forward fills a positional need for Detroit and gives a much-needed boost to a team that finished 27th in defensive efficiency rating this past season. The other area Detroit could use help with is shooting, and with Amen Thompson not being known for his shooting, I think they address that issue elsewhere and stick with Walker here.

Bilal Coulibaly Draft Position Under 11.5 (-105): Victor Wembanyama is not the only NBA Draft prospect on his professional team in France, as Bilal Coulibaly has become one of the hottest names during this year's draft process.

The 6’7 wing is one of the youngest players in the draft, and his length and defensive ability have put him in a position where multiple analysts are saying he’s a top-ten talent. He’s been linked to Utah at nine, but even if they don’t take him, I still don’t see him slipping past Orlando at 11.

Other Markets to Target

Colby Jones to be a First-Round Pick (-120): Much of the back end of the first round is filled with teams possibly making their second or third selection by that point. If those teams like Indiana, Charlotte, or Utah jump for potential and athleticism early on, then Jones could be a strong late first-round pick-up just based on his shooting ability. He’s the perfect rotation guy that will space the floor and defend.

Trayce Jackson-Davis to be a First-Round Pick (+300): With videos of the Indiana star shooting threes in recent workouts, I think he is the exact type of athletic player teams take a chance on in the late first round and hope the shooting improves with more reps. The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor has him slotted to go 30th to the Clippers, but I could also see the Hornets taking a shot at him at 27 for a possible PJ Washington replacement.