NBA Draft Odds 2022: First Pick Betting Lines & NBA Draft Information

When it comes to betting on basketball, it is a 365-day sport now. With the NBA, WNBA, college hoops, overseas basketball and the offseason events like the NBA Draft, you can always bet on basketball. There are more betting markets than ever on the NBA Draft, which makes it a fun offseason betting event.

The NBA Draft has been a very popular betting event in recent years, and with the new legislation in many states allowing for legal sports betting, there will be more and more betting on the NBA Draft going forward. With this year’s draft taking place with the most states available to wager than ever before, it will be quite the event for legal sports betting.

Here is a look at the betting odds for who will be the first overall pick in the next NBA Draft.

Betting Markets available at BetMGM for the 2022 NBA Draft

The NBA Draft is one of the best offseason markets to wager on for basketball bettors, and the 2022 draft will be quite the popular one after the first overall pick. At BetMGM, there are many draft markets available to wager on that you may not be aware of. Here they are:

First Overall Pick
Second Overall Pick
Third Overall Pick
Fourth Overall Pick
Top 3 – Exact Order
Top 4 – Exact Order
Player Props – Draft Position Over/Unders
and more

Check out BetMGM for the latest NBA Draft odds.

NBA Draft First Overall Pick Odds

Here was a look at the top favorites in terms of odds to be selected first overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. As the 2022 NBA Draft approaches, these lines will update.

Player	To be Drafted First Overall Odds at BetMGM
Cade Cunningham	-5000
Jalen Green	+1400
Evan Mobley	+2200
Jalen Suggs	+2500
Jonathan Kuminga	+5000

For a full list of odds, check out BetMGM Sportsbook as they have posted the NBA Draft odds for 2021.

NBA Draft History

A look at the NBA Draft’s history, including first overall picks by year, most first overall picks, and more.

First Overall Pick By Year – NBA Draft

Every first overall pick since 2000.

Draft Year	Franchise	Player	School
2021	Detroit Pistons	Cade Cunningham	Oklahoma State
2020	Minnesota Timberwolves	Anthony Edwards	Georgia
2019	New Orleans Pelicans	Zion Williamson	Duke
2018	Phoenix Suns	Deandre Ayton	Arizona
2017	Philadelphia 76ers	Markelle Fultz	Washington
2016	Philadelphia 76ers	Ben Simmons	LSU
2015	Minnesota Timberwolves	Karl-Anthony Towns	Kentucky
2014	Cleveland Cavaliers	Andrew Wiggins	Kansas
2013	Cleveland Cavaliers	Anthony Bennett	UNLV
2012	New Orleans Hornets	Anthony Davis	Kentucky
2011	Cleveland Cavaliers	Kyrie Irving	Duke
2010	Washington Wizards	John Wall	Kentucky
2009	Los Angeles Clippers	Blake Griffin	Oklahoma
2008	Chicago Bulls	Derrick Rose	Memphis
2007	Portland Trail Blazers	Greg Oden	Ohio State
2006	Toronto Raptors	Andrea Bargnani	High School
2005	Milwaukee Bucks	Andrew Bogut	Utah
2004	Orlando Magic	Dwight Howard	High School
2003	Cleveland Cavaliers	LeBron James	High School
2002	Houston Rockets	Yao Ming	High School
2001	Washington Wizards	Kwame Brown	High School
2000	New Jersey Nets	Kenyon Martin	Cincinnati

Colleges with Most Number One Overall Picks – NBA Draft

Here are the schools with the most first overall picks in NBA Draft history.

College	Number of First Overall Picks
Duke	4
Kentucky	3
15 Tied With	2

Franchises with Most Number One Overall Picks – NBA Draft

A look at which franchises have had the most first overall picks.

Franchise	Number of First Overall Picks
Cleveland Cavaliers	6
Washington Wizards/Baltimore Bullets	5
Blazers, Sixers, Knicks	Tied with four

Biggest NBA Draft Busts

A look at some recent number one overall draft picks that are seen as “busts”.

Anthony Bennett, UNLV

The Houston Rockets have officially announced they’ve waived Anthony Bennett.

Bennett, the No. 1 pick in 2013, has signed with five NBA teams and five G League teams.
— Clevis Murray (@ClevisMurray) October 10, 2019

In the 2013 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Anthony Bennett from UNLV. This pick surprised basically everyone in the basketball community, as Victor Oladipo, Nerlens Noel, and other players were expected to go over him. Bennett only “played” four years in the NBA and scored a total of 658 points. In 151 NBA games, he averaged 4.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. The Cleveland Cavaliers selected first overall the following year.

Greg Oden, Ohio State

“I don’t really think about the word ‘bust’ no more. All I know is I had bad knees, I had injuries, I wasn’t able to play. If it’s a bust, it’s a bust.”

Former No. 1 pick Greg Oden sat down with NBA Insider @ShamsCharania to discuss his career. pic.twitter.com/CgMItUkwzo
— Stadium (@Stadium) March 3, 2020

With the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers selected center Greg Oden from Ohio State to be their big man of the future. Unfortunately, Oden could never overcome his injuries and played just 105 NBA games. The pick directly after Oden? Kevin Durant.

Markelle Fultz, Washington

While Fultz may not be a “bust” in the sense of others on this list, he may turn out to be one of the most bizarre NBA Draft stories in the history of basketball. Markelle Fultz was a can’t-miss guard prospect from Washington who could do it all. He could shoot, get to the basket, facilitate, play top-tier perimeter defense, and was one of the better athletes in college basketball. The Philadelphia 76ers traded to the top overall spot to select him to pair with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid to create a monster three-star lineup. Then the amazing happened. Fultz had physical problems with his shoulder that may or may not have caused mental problems with his ability to shoot the basketball. The full story has never been confirmed, but Fultz has yet to become a shell of what he was at Washington and was traded to the Orlando Magic after just 33 games as a Sixer. He is not a “full” bust in the sense of the word, as Fultz averaged 12 points, three rebounds, and five assists in his first season with the Magic. Also, he did notch a triple-double, at least.

2 YEARS AGO TODAY
Markelle Fultz became the first 19-year-old in NBA history with a triple-double! And it only took him 25 minutes off the bench to do it.

Fultz: 19, 317 days
Luka: 19, 327 days
Luka: 19, 333 days
Luka: 19, 343 days

pic.twitter.com/ddJABRJuUN
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) April 11, 2020

NBA Draft Odds Frequently Asked Questions

Who was the first overall pick in the NBA Draft last year?

Cade Cunningham was the first overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Who will be drafted first overall this year?

The likely candidates to be drafted first overall this year are Paulo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, or Jalen Duren.

Was LeBron James a first overall pick?

Yes. In the 2003 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected LeBron James first overall out of high school.

Did Michael Jordan get drafted first overall?

No. Michael Jordan was drafted third overall in the 1984 NBA Draft. Hakeem Olajuwon from Houston was selected first, and Sam Bowie from Kentucky was selected ahead of Jordan.