Predicting the Top Five Picks of the 2021 NBA Draft

Now that the 2021 NBA season is officially in the books with the Milwaukee Bucks winning a world title, bettors can turn their attention to the upcoming 2021 NBA Draft.

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This year’s draft will take place on July 29 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Many of the top- rated online sportsbooks have already posted a long list of prop bet odds covering a number of different aspects of this annual event.

A good starting point for betting NBA draft props is to gain a better understanding of the top prospects on this year’s board. There are multiple versions of a NBA mock drafts predicting the first five players to come off the board. Here is my list plus the betting odds for each one.

2021 NBA Draft First Overall Pick Odds

Cade Cunningham is the overwhelming favorite to come off the board first overall at -7500 odds. It would be hard to bet against this pick given his overall skill set. The Detroit Pistons are first on the clock and this team’s list of pressing needs run deep.

Cunningham was a standout at Oklahoma State in his only season with the team. The 6-foot-8, 220 lb. point guard is a force on the floor that should have immediate success at the next level. Other players on the board as the first overall pick are Jalen Green at +1000 and Evan Mobley at +1600.

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2021 NBA Draft Second Overall Pick Odds

Moving to the Houston Rockets at No. 2, I would go chalk betting this prop as well with Green at -300 odds. Mobley would be next at +245 odds followed by Jalen Suggs at +650.

Green did not play college ball last year but he is considered to be an elite player given his size, speed and skills. Houston quickly went from being an elite franchise to one of the worst teams in the league. Adding Green would be an essential building block in the entire rebuilding process.

2021 NBA Draft Third Overall Pick Odds

The consensus among most NBA mock drafts is that Mobley is the third-best player on the board. The betting odds for this prop confirm that position with Mobley set as a -250 favorite. Suggs is third on that board at +325 odds.

A pair of new names in the mix at No. 3 are Jonathan Kuminga (+1200) and Scottie Barnes (+1400).

The Cleveland Cavaliers is on the clock at No. 3 and I do see them taking Mobley with that pick. A freshman standout at USC, he fits one of the Cavaliers’ most pressing need as a 7-foot-0 centerpiece under the boards.

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2021 NBA Draft Fourth Overall Pick Odds

Given the nature of the NBA draft, betting against the top three players going one-two-three in the draft does not make all that much sense. Once you move to the Toronto Raptors at No. 4, there is a bit more value spread out across your choices.

Suggs is first on this list at -175 with Barnes next at +275. The Raptors will most likely go with Suggs as the slightly higher-rated prospect but you could make a case for a small play on Barnes at longer odds.

2021 NBA Draft Fifth Overall Pick Odds

With the Orlando Magic holding the fifth overall pick in the draft, this selection should come down to Suggs or Barnes.

The Oddsmakers see Suggs going fourth to Toronto with +350 odds in this prop. Barnes is the clear favorite to go fifth at -175.

Unless you have some insider knowledge on the upcoming NBA Draft that nobody else knows about, going chalk with the favorite in all five of these props makes the most betting sense.