LONDON (May 26, 2008) – While hoops fans in Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles and San Antonio are focused on their team’s chances of raising the Larry O’Brien trophy in June, fans of the teams at the opposite spectrum of the NBA hierarchy are turning their attention to the promise of the entry draft. With two potential franchise-players in the mix, Logans.com has posted odds on who will be first player to shake David Sterns’ hand at Madison Square Garden, exactly one-month from today.
Chicago holds the first overall pick and the odds makers are favoring the Bulls to go local, making point guard Derrick Rose a 10-13 favorite. The freshman from the University of Memphis is perhaps the most highly touted point guard to hit the scene since Jason Kidd in 1995. He possesses a rare mix of speed, strength, passing, rebounding and toughness that give him the ability to control the game.
However, Kansas State University freshman Michael Beasley, an even 1-1 bet, is considered the more NBA ready of the two, with an ability to score at will and match-up physically to NBA players. Like super freshmen Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant before him, Beasley is confident he can make an immediate transition to the professional game.
“This is an interesting draft. I think prior to the draft lottery many assumed Beasley would be the number one guy, but because the Bulls surprisingly won the lottery, a lot of bettors think they will go with Rose. He’s a local guy and it has great PR value for a team that had some problems with their fan base this year,” said John Thomas, Logans.com spokesperson.
A trio of Pac 10 players round out the odds makers’ list. OJ Mayo, another super freshman, out of the University of Southern California was not long ago the odds-on-pick to land as the number one overall selection in this year’s draft. However, Mayo has faced increasing pressure with regards to his off court behavior and was overshadowed on the court by Rose and Beasley for most of the season, culminating with an upset loss to Beasley’s Kansas State Wildcats in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Mayo is now a 50-1 bet to be the first pick, as is Brook Lopez from Stanford University. Kevin Love, UCLA’s big freshman, is a 250-1 long shot. While those odds may seem steep, it’s important to note that none of the top players have been put through their paces yet in individual NBA team trials.
“Depending on pre-draft trades and how these prospects perform both on the court and in their interviews with the NBA clubs, things could quickly change,” added Thomas.
2008 NBA DRAFT – WHO WILL BE FIRST OVERALL PICK
Derrick Rose (Memphis) 10-13
Michael Beasley (Kansas State) 1-1
Brook Lopez (Stanford) 50-1
OJ Mayo (USC) 50-1
Kevin Love (UCLA) 250-1
Field (any other player) 50-1
For more updated Odds, visit www.logans.com/live-lines
About Logans.com:
Logans.com is an American sportsbook with a European flavor. Our management has extensive experience in the European sports book business, with decades of experience, while working with some of North America’s largest sports books and gaming companies. Along with a traditional bookmaking approach, Logans.com brings a measure of entertainment and top-line service that is required for today’s sports book players. Logans will offer a betting line on anything its customer’s request, and services all players with the HOAD (hands-on attention to detail) approach to ensure 100% customer satisfaction.
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