The Oklahoma City Thunder's announcement that Chet Holmgren would miss the 2022-23 season due to a Lisfranc injury in his right foot dominated the headlines in the basketball world on Thursday, but how were other players in the rookie class impacted?
Holmgren held 13.0% of the tickets and 10.1% of the handle in the market at BetMGM, but he wasn't the favorite.
That title would belong to Orlando Magic rookie, Paolo Banchero, who dipped from +200 from +350 following the news regarding Holmgren.
Banchero accounts for 25.0% of the betting tickets and 40.9% of the handle in the market, and the No. 1 pick is the biggest liability for the book.
The second liability is not Houston Rockets rookie, Jabari Smith Jr., but rather Detroit Pistons guard, Jaden Ivey, who shortened from +650 to +550 after Holmgren's injury. Ivey has received 29.1% of the wagers and 19.9% of the handle.
Ivey was a Purdue standout who was mocked as a top pick for years in the lead-up to the most recent draft, but he fell in favor of Banchero, Holmgren, Smith Jr. and Keegan Murray.
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Speaking of Murray, the fellow Big 10 star has tracked solid action himself. He was +600 prior to Holmgren's injury, but now sits at +500.
Murray has amassed 12.5% of the tickets and 15.7% of the handle. He was the MVP of the Summer League playing for the Sacramento Kings.
One player that hasn't attracted any action? Smith Jr., who has received just 1.9% of the wagers and 0.8% of the handle.
A Rookie of the Year award for the Auburn standout would be a massive win for the books, and Smith didn't even move from his pre-Holmgren injury price of +600.
This will be an interesting battle to watch unfold.
