Victor Wembanyama is the heavy favorite to go No. 1 to the Spurs. Who will be the second pick?
Will it be Scoot Henderson, Brandon Miller or someone from the field? Here’s a look at what the odds predict the Hornets might do at No. 2.
Coming into the 2023 NBA draft lottery on Tuesday, the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs each had a 14% chance to win the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes for the 19-year-old French-born star of the Metropolitans 92 of the LNB Pro A.
But it was the Spurs who landed the top overall pick for the third time in their history. The last time they had the top pick was in 1997, when they selected future Hall of Fame big man Tim Duncan.
Wembanyama is expected to become a member of the Spurs at the June 22 draft, and sportsbook markets such as FanDuel are setting his top overall pick price at -20000. All eyes then turn to the Charlotte Hornets, who have the No. 2 pick.
Will it be Scoot Henderson, who starred for the NBA G League Ignite this past season, former Alabama standout Brandon Miller, or someone from the field? Here’s a look at what the odds predict the Hornets might do on draft night.
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Odds to be Hornets’ No. 2 pick (FanDuel)
It’s a two-man race at the top of the odds board for the second overall pick, with Henderson as a slight favorite at -150 over Miller, listed at -105.
NBA G League Ignite’s Henderson averaged 17.6 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.1 rebounds over 25 games this season. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound point guard would be an interesting selection for the Hornets, considering they have a young, talented player at the position in LaMelo Ball.
Miller, who averaged just under 19 points and eight rebounds as a freshman at Alabama, earned several accolades, including AP first-team All-American, John R. Wooden All-American, SEC Player of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year, and SEC Tournament MVP. The 6-9, 200-pound Miller seems like an ideal fit for what the Hornets need in a young, athletic wing who can spread the floor for Ball and create his own shot.
Both players are at the top of the board to be No. 3 pick by the Portland Trail Blazers, with Miller as a slight favorite (+125) over Henderson (+150). Amen Thompson, a standout for City Reapers of Overtime Elite, a professional basketball league based out of Atlanta, is the third option at +460.