NBA Draft Odds: Spurs Land No. 1 Pick

Victor Wembanyama will go first overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, so let's take a look at the NBA Draft odds and see how far he can stretch his lead before June.

Last Updated: Jun 7, 2023 1:47 PM ET Read Time: 5 min
Victor Wembanyama NBA Draft odds
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Most years, the leadup to the NBA Draft is a careful consideration of which prospect deserves the billing as the No. 1 pick.

As this draft's NBA odds clearly illustrate, 2023 is nothing more than a Victor Wembanyama hype train leading up to the French beanstalk's inevitable selection first overall.

Wembanyama's fate was decided May 16, to the delight of most NBA fans without a vested interest. The San Antonio Spurs and legendary coach Gregg Popovich landed the first pick for draft night on June 22nd, ensuring the phenom will be in good hands.

As the league gets set to welcome its most intriguing prospect in years, we've got an updated look at the odds to go first overall in the 2023 NBA Draft.

2023 NBA Draft: Odds to go first overall

Player Odds to go first overall 
Victor Wembanyama -20,000
Scoot Henderson +4,000
Brandon Miller +10,000
Amen Thompson +10,000
Jarace Walker +15,000
Ausar Thompson +15.000

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook on June 7, 2023.

Favorite to be picked first overall in the 2023 NBA Draft

Victor Wembanyama (-20,000)

There hasn't been this much excitement about a draft prospect in quite some time: Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-something adjective-defier currently dominating the LNB Pro A for Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92.

Wembanyama's dynamic combination of long-range shooting, transcendent rim protection, and fluid skill set, has made him a can't-miss atop this year's board, breaking even the most optimistic player comps from the NBA's recent crops of "unicorn" big men like Jaren Jackson Jr. and Chet Holmgren. 

While his frame is still rail-thin, the skill is undeniable and diverse enough that Wembanyama can excel in several areas right out of the gate for the Spurs next season. From there, the sky's the limit.

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Understanding NBA Draft betting

Most sportsbooks will display odds in the American format as listed above. When Zion Williamson opened as the heavy favorite to go first overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, his odds had a minus (-) sign ahead of the number. 

  • Zion Williamson -2,000

This meant that a bettor needed to wager $2000 to win $100 by betting on Zion. Everyone else in that field had plus (+) odds to win.

  • RJ Barrett +550

Williamson's teammate at Duke, RJ Barrett had the second-best odds at +550. A bettor would stand to profit $550 for every $100 wagered on Barrett. 

If American odds aren't your thing, simply use a tool like our odds converter to switch the odds to decimal or fractional format. Most online sportsbooks also give you the option to change the odds format that you see.

Here are some recent trends you'll want to keep in mind when betting on NBA Draft odds:

  • Positions have been reasonably well-distributed among the No. 1 picks. Over the past 20 NBA Drafts, eight have been forwards, seven guards, and five centers.

  • "One-and-done" college freshmen make up the overwhelming majority of recent top picks, being selected No. 1 in each of the past 16 seasons since high schoolers were ruled ineligible.

  • Among NCAA schools, Duke leads the all-time count with five No. 1 overall picks, including Paolo Banchero in 2022.
More NBA futures odds

First overall NBA Draft picks since 2000

Year Player Position
2003 LeBron James PG/F
2004 Dwight Howard C
2005 Andrew Bogut C
2006 Andrea Bargnani F/C
2007 Greg Oden C
2008 Derrick Rose PG
2009 Blake Griffin PF
2010 John Wall PG
2011 Kyrie Irving PG
2012 Anthony Davis PF
2013 Anthony Bennett PF
2014 Andrew Wiggins G/F
2015 Karl-Anthony Towns C
2016 Ben Simmons PG/F
2017 Markelle Fultz PG
2018 Deandre Ayton C
2019 Zion Williamson PF
2020 Anthony Edwards SG
2021 Cade Cunningham PG
2022 Paolo Banchero PF

NBA Draft Odds FAQ

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