2022 NBA Draft: Paolo Banchero moves past Jabari Smith in No. 1 pick odds

In the middle of the night on Wednesday, Paolo Banchero moved past Jabari Smith as the prospect with the best odds to go No. 1 overall during Thursday night’s 2022 NBA Draft.

Smith had long been tabbed as the likely top pick overall, with Bruce Pearl even discussing his potential teaming up with Chuma Okeke as a nearly done deal. That certainty is now up in the air with the drastic odds shift.

Interestingly enough, Banchero was largely projected to go No. 3 to the Houston Rockets in the draft behind Chet Holmgren, who has been mostly ticketed to end up with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

As Action Network’s Matt Moore relayed, multiple sportsbooks now have a new betting favorite to go No. 1:

Jabari Smith could still end up going No. 1 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft

Of course, odds oftentimes move with sportsbooks because the money moves and bettors take out big money wages on a given bet. By no means is Banchero being listed at the best odds the be-all end-all of what will happen.

Jabari Smith is still the most pro-ready prospect and one that fits the Magic like a glove alongside their young core of Wendell Carter Jr., Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and Cole Anthony. If anything, the odds shift could be the public betting on the Rockets being aggressive in the trade market. Houston owns two picks in this year’s draft and three in next year’s, so if they have their eyes on a particular prospect–Banchero evidently appears to be the player in question–they can package several picks to get it done.

Expect plenty of more odds shifts until Adam Silver is on the Barclays Center stage announcing the first pick tonight.