Inexplicably, Bronny James is the largest liability at least one sportsbook to go No. 1 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.
His odds at +20000 would return $20,000 for a $100 bet on LeBron James' son to go No. 1 in June's draft. Currently, prognosticators have Bronny firmly as second-round talent — if that. There's a distinct possibility he isn't drafted at all.
Bronny would be the worst overall outcome for BetMGM in this particular market. That's because 22.5% of all bets in this market have been on James to go No. 1 overall despite his exorbitant odds. That's tied with as many wagers as the presumptive top pick: Alexandre Sarr hailing out of France.
There's perhaps some logic with these longshot bets — although pedigree is surely involved here. Most prognosticators have considered this draft crop one of the worst in recent memory. A trade for the No. 1 overall pick would equate the fourth- or fifth-best starter on a current contender, according to sourcing from Ryen Russillo, he said on The Bill Simmons Podcast. He added that the No. 1 pick this season would roughly equate to the No. 7 or No. 8 picks in other years, according to his sources.
In the end, that's been enough to push the public toward Bronny as a longshot candidate.
Sarr's odds at -300 still represent 81.4% of the total handle in this marketplace, though.
UConn's Donovan Clingan has the third-highest liability at the sportsbook with 15% of the tickets and just under 11% of the handle.
And another longshot has demanded attention here, too. Purdue's Zach Edey has seen his odds move from its open at +15000 to its current mark at +20000 and yet he's the fourth-most popular prospect to go No. 1.
Other public favorites at BetMGM include Reed Sheppard, Ronald Holland, Zaccharie Risacher and Stephon Castle.
