The 2025 NBA Draft promises to be one of the best in recent memory. On June 25 and 26, the best professional basketball league will welcome the best young hoopers in the world. There are bound to be a bunch of trades and a lot of pick-swapping, so the order of the draft doesn’t reflect who will end up where.
Cooper Flagg is a surefire first pick because of his immense two-way talent. Meanwhile, Ace Bailey has raised many question marks. Here are the odds related to the upcoming draft, based on BetMGM.
#1 pick- Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)
The Mavericks snuck into the #1 pick despite just 1.8% odds. What a lucky franchise! They traded a generational talent, Luka Doncic, and will get to replace him with another potentially generational player in Cooper Flagg. F
Flagg is a 6’8” forward with a high motor on both ends, who can raise the level of players around him. During his lone NCAA season with Duke, he tallied 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Apart from incredible athleticism, he showed tremendous long-range shooting promise, converting 1.4 triples on 38.5% shooting.
My NBA Comparison: Scottie Pippen (Minus the strength)
Cooper Flagg NBA Draft BetMGM Odds for First Pick: -10000
#2 pick- Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs)
The Spurs already have a franchise player in Victor Wembanyama, but his career has hit a minor snag due to injury issues. However, the Spurs were lucky to acquire the #2 pick and are surely going to draft Dylan Harper. The 6’6” guard is built strong with a 6’10” wingspan and has incredible two-way potential.
The only question is if he is a Point Guard or a Shooting Guard, considering he showed more of a score-first mentality. During his lone season with Rutgers, Harper produced 19.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 4 APG. He made 1.7 triples on a so-so 33.3% shooting.
My NBA Comparison: Ja Morant (Minus the playmaking aspect as of now)
Dylan Harper NBA Draft BetMGM Odds for Second Pick: -5000
#3 pick- VJ Edgecombe: -235 (Philadelphia 76ers)
Edgecombe has emerged as a prime contender for the #3 draft pick. The 6’5” guard has an incredible motor for the professional basketball scene. Like Harper, he can also jump out of the gym. He can fit perfectly alongside the high-IQ Tyrese Maxey in the backcourt, who will surely feed him for high-quality cuts to the rim.
Recent news suggests that the 76ers have lost interest in the previously projected #3 pick, Ace Bailey, and are moving in the direction of drafting the promising prospect.
The 6’5” guard is adept at snatching the ball away to finish big on the break. Apart from that, he can also mesh with Joel Embiid. During his lone NCAA season with Baylor, he put up 15.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.2 APG, and 2.1 SPG. He made 1.6 triples per game on a decent 34.2% shooting, showing a multi-faceted offensive game.
My NBA Comparison: Victor Oladipo (Minus the shooting game)
VJ Edgecomb NBA Draft BetMGM Odds for Third Pick: -235
#4 pick: Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)
Unlike the first three picks, there is no clear contender for the #4 pick. The odds are as close as they can get. Even Edgecomb can fall to #4, but it looks less likely. As of now, BetMGM favors Kon Kneuppel to be picked as the #4 selection.
There is a lot to like about the 6’7” swingman. He is a bona fide long-range sniper. During his only season with Duke, the forward nailed 2.2 triples on an amazing 40.6% shooting.
He straightaway fills the Wing for the Charlotte Hornets, who have historically struggled from long range. But is he worth a #4 pick? As per fit, he does look for Charlotte, but he may have limited potential.
My NBA Comparison: Bogdan Bogdanovic
Kon Knueppel NBA Draft BetMGM Odds for #4 pick: +200
#5 pick: Tre Johnson ( Utah Jazz)
The unpredictability regarding the draft picks only gets higher as we go deeper. As for the projected #5 pick, Tre Johnson is emerging as a likely candidate. Another 6’5” guard, Johnson, is an off-the-ball maestro who is a three-point specialist.
He can keep a defender busy at all times and has the ability to nail contested step-back jumpers. He is also developing his Point Guard game. There are a lot of offensive positives, but the guard struggles on the defensive end more than he should. More of an effort issue.
He averaged 19.9 PPG in his only season with the Texas Longhorns. The Utah Jazz may develop him into an All-Star, but he may not be the answer as their franchise face.
My NBA Comparison: Dale Ellis
Tre Johnson NBA Draft BetMGM Odds: +185
#6 pick: Ace Bailey
Ah, the Ace Bailey conundrum. Talent-wise, Bailey has no business slipping all the way to #6. The 6’8” is an offensive sparkplug who doesn’t hesitate and can nail jumpers with a hand in his face.
He has a real variety to his offensive game and can shoot well from multiple positions. However, he refused to entertain any teams for workouts and even cancelled the Philadelphia 76ers’ session, where he was a lock for #3.
Maybe he already has another team in mind and is purposefully sabotaging his draft stock to get there? Who knows? There are some concerns about his finishing as he made just 42.1% of his drives, but that can be corrected.
Will the Wizards draft him if he slips at #6? He may not be the talent they are looking for right now.
My NBA Comparison: Paul George (Minus the driving capabilities)
Ace Bailey NBA Draft BetMGM Odds: +220
Here is a look at the potential top ten picks based on the BetMGM odds.
| Pick and Team | Player | Odds |
| #1- Dallas Mavericks | Cooper Flagg | -10000 |
| #2- San Antonio Spurs | Dylan Harper | -5000 |
| #3- Philadelphia 76ers | VJ Edgecombe | -235 |
| #4- Charlotte Hornets | Kon Knueppel | +200 |
| #5- Utah Jazz | Tre Johnson | +185 |
| #6- Washington Wizards | Ace Bailey | +220 |
| #7- New Orleans Pelicans | Jeremiah Fears | +200 |
| #8- Brooklyn Nets | Khaman Malauch | +400 |
| #9- Toronto Raptors | Carter Bryant | +500 |
| #10- Houston Rockets | Kaspara Jakucionis | +450 |
The above method doesn’t reflect the potential draft order. Only Flagg and Harper are a lock as the #1 and #2 picks, respectively. From there on, it is a wide open field. For example, the Hornets may opt for Tre Johnson over Kon Knueppel as he seems to have a higher upside.
Apart from that, Khaman Maluach, who is placed eighth above, has been given similar odds for the #7 and #9, so keep that in mind. Trades will play a huge role, and we will see a lot of up-and-down movement during the draft night.
Photo Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
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