Duke basketball: Paolo Banchero likely knows NBA Draft destination

Duke basketball standout Paolo Banchero likely knows his NBA Draft positioning. 

The conversation surrounding who will be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft seems to have come to an end as Duke basketball star Paolo Banchero‘s steam is slowing down.

Banchero’s odds, according to WynnBET, skyrocketed over Gonzaga star Chet Holmgren and rivaled that of Auburn superstar Jabari Smith, who has been the longtime favorite to hear his name called first.

The 6-foot-10 stud had +2000 odds on Sunday to be selected by the Orlando Magic and those odds quickly changed to +650 on Monday and +195 on Tuesday.

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However, Banchero’s odds are still better than Holmgren’s to be the top pick in the draft, +250 compared to +500, but the odds for Jabari Smith have moved from -175 to a whopping -500 as of Thursday morning.

Despite Paolo Banchero having better odds to be selected No. 1 overall over Chet Holmgren, it is likely that the dynamic 7-footer will hear his named announced by commissioner Adam Silver when the Oklahoma City Thunder are on the clock at No. 2 overall.

It would leave the Duke star available for the Houston Rockets, who are looking for a forward to pair with their dynamic rookie Jalen Green.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that it is likely the first three picks of the draft, in order, will be Smith, Holmgren, and Banchero.

NBA Draft experts believe the Duke basketball superstar is best player available

There is no true consensus among the elite draft analysts as to who the top player in the draft is, but all agree that Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren, and Paolo Banchero make up the three best available players in the pool.

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman said on NBA TV that he thinks that it’s the Blue Devil who is the draft’s best player.

CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander also has Paolo Banchero atop his big board while ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has Banchero as the third best player on his big board.

All of the questions will soon have answers as the NBA Draft begins on Thursday, June 23 at 8:00pm EST from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York and can be seen on ESPN.