The first four picks of the NBA Draft went relatively according to plan.
The fifth, though, was a bit of a curveball.
The Detroit Pistons went off the board, surprising the basketball world by selecting Ron Holland out of the G League. The forward appeared in 14 games for the Ignite last season, averaging 19.5 points, 6.7 boards and 3.1 assists.
Bettors who backed Holland made an absolute killing. The forward was as high as +2600 to go in the top five, meaning a $100 wager would have won $2,600. He was also +10000 to be selected fifth overall and +230 to go in the top 10.
This year’s draft has been a roller coaster ride for Pistons fans. Detroit finished with the league’s worst record – and worst mark in franchise history – at 14-68. They had a 54-percent change of landing a top four pick but were big losers in the lottery falling four spots to fifth. So, grabbing a player considered a reach certainly raises eyeballs.
