No surprises are expected when the Detroit Pistons step up to the podium to make the first overall selection of the 2021 NBA Draft. Following a spectacular freshman season at Oklahoma State, Cade Cunningham has emerged as a massive favourite to go first overall, sporting short -8000 odds on the NBA props at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Winner of Mr. Basketball USA honours as the top high school player in the country in 2020, Cunningham took his game to the next level in his collegiate debut. The 19-year-old guard racked up 20.1 points per game in his lone campaign with the Cowboys, solidifying his perch as the top prospect heading into the NBA Draft on Thursday night at the Barclays Center.
While little suspense lingers over who the Pistons will take with the top selection, far less certainty exists for teams following Detroit in this year's draft. That includes the Toronto Raptors, who are currently holding the fourth overall pick.
Considered a five-star recruit a year ago, before foregoing college ball to play in the NBA G League this past season, Jalen Green is the -375 favourite to go second overall on Thursday night. Evan Mobley is then set as -240 chalk to go third overall at sports betting sites, while Jalen Suggs is the -175 favourite to be taken fourth overall on those NBA odds.
A key member of the Gonzaga Bulldogs squad that enjoyed an epic march to a berth in this year's national championship game, Suggs earned WCC newcomer of the year honours last season while piling up 14.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. The 20-year-old is widely expected to be available when the Raptors make their first selection of the evening with the fourth overall pick.
However, reports have suggested that Toronto is in talks with the Cleveland Cavaliers to acquire the third overall pick, which could enable them to take Mobley. A 20-year-old out of USC, Mobley averaged 16.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game with the Trojans, and has also won gold on two occasions while playing for the United States in FIBA World Cup action.
Further down the 2021 NBA Draft odds, Jonathan Kuminga is set at +550 to be taken fourth overall following a stellar debut in the NBA G League, while ACC Freshman of the Year Scottie Barnes sits at +300 on the fourth overall odds. Two Canadians are also expected to be in the mix on Thursday night, Montreal native and three-point specialist Chris Duarte plus Mississauga's Joshua Primo, who enters the draft after being the youngest player in all of college basketball in his freshman season at Alabama.
