Despite a wild night of gambling odds changes that led to Duke forward Paolo Banchero briefly becoming the betting favorite to go No. 1 in Thursday’s 2022 NBA draft, not much seems to have changed when it comes to expectations around the league for the top three picks.
Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the expected top-three placement is becoming “increasingly firm,” with Auburn’s Jabari Smith going to Orlando at No. 1 in the first round; Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren to Oklahoma City at No. 2; and Banchero to the Houston Rockets at No. 3 overall.