Call it name value or just plain stupidity, but the player I’m most betting on to be No. 1 in the 2024 NBA Draft in June is none other than Bronny James.
According to BetMGM Sportsbook, 22.5 percent of bets so far have been on Bronny being drafted by the Atlanta Hawks, tied for the most with actual No. 1 pick Alexander Sarr.
Considering that 81.4 percent of this market’s handle value (total stakes) is in Searle and only 2.4 percent of the money is in James, even though the total stakes are the same, the smart money is Obviously in Searle.
Bronny was not projected to be a first-round pick in the popular mock draft, while Bronny was not among the top 58 players in ESPN’s first mock draft since the draft lottery.
It has long been expected that Bronny, the eldest son of NBA superstar LeBron James, would be used as a chip by a promising team looking to sign his father in free agency.
LeBron has a player option for the 2024-25 season and could become an unrestricted free agent in July.
The 2024 NBA Draft begins on June 26th. LeBron has until June 29 to opt out and has expressed that playing alongside his son is a priority.
Bronny has gotten his own betting market given the circumstances, as the Lakers are likely favorites to draft the guard out of USC.
Currently, 22.1 percent of bets are on Bronny being selected as the Lakers hold the 17th and 55th picks.
No. 17 overall would be a significant overdraft from Los Angeles, but it wouldn’t be as high as No. 55 unless another team shows interest in the 6-foot-1 guard.
Bronny looked good at the NBA Draft Combine, but didn’t do much to improve his performance while playing for the Trojans last season.
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He suffered a cardiac arrest during his freshman year, and struggled in the games he played.
Bronny played just over 19 minutes per game in 25 games, averaging 4.8 points, 2.1 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game.
