French Zaccharie Risacher has best odds to be NBA draft top pick
Zaccharie Risacher, of Bourg-en-Bresse, shoots a free throw during a Betclic Elite basketball game against Limoges in Bourg-en-Bresse, eastern France, on Oct. 31, 2023. (AP Photo, File)
French teenager Zaccharie Risacher has the best odds at BetMGM online sportsbook to be selected No. 1 overall in the NBA draft.
The draft, which will be a two-night event for the first time, will begin Wednesday at the Barclays Center in New York.
The Atlanta Hawks have the No. 1 pick for the first time since 1975. The Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets (via the Brooklyn Nets), San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons round out the top five.
READ: NBA draft: France’s Alexandre Sarr, UConn’s Clingan headline big men
No. 1 Overall Pick
Risacher is listed at -250 to be the top pick. His odds have gotten better over time after opening at +275 and improving to +130 last week.
Risacher is pulling in the most money (33.4%) but doesn’t lead when it comes to overall tickets.
Despite +25000 odds, Bronny James is drawing the most tickets to be the first overall pick (25.2%) even though he is only pulling in 5.9% of the money.
James is the son of Los Angeles Lakers great LeBron James.
Donovan Clingan has the second-best odds to go No. 1 overall at +210, and he is pulling in the second-most bets (23.3%).
Bronny James
The Lakers, which have the No. 17 and 55 overall picks, have the best odds to draft James at -130. They’re also the favorite among bettors.
A massive 52.2% of the money is on the Lakers to select James on 31.9% of the bets. Los Angeles opened at +140 and was +160 last week.
READ: NBA draft: International prospects beyond France
The Phoenix Suns (+700) are the second favorite with 14.8% of the bets and 15% of the money on the team to select James. They have the No. 22 overall pick and do not have a second-round pick.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, who are +2500 to select James, are drawing the third-most bets (12.2%) and the third-most money (14.6%). They have the No. 20 overall pick and do not have a second-round selection.
When it comes to the NBA draft position market, James’ over/under is set at 45.5 with the over at -150 and the under at +110.
Betting Notes
Alexandre Sarr (-650) is a huge favorite to be selected No. 2 overall by the Wizards. Sarr is drawing a substantial 88.7% of the money on 44.3% of the bets. … Reed Sheppard (-150) is a slight favorite to be drafted by the Rockets at No. 3. Just under half the money (40.7%) on 31.6% of the bets are on him to go to Houston in that spot. … Risacher, Sarr and Sheppard are -120 to be drafted Nos. 1, 2 and 3 overall.
