The NBA offseason has already been exhilarating. Kevin Durant has a new home with the Houston Rockets, Jrue Holiday was sent to Portland, while Anfernee Simons is headed to Boston, and Kristaps Porzingus is now with the Atlanta Hawks. Tonight we have the 2025 NBA Draft, where 60 new rookies will join the league.
Will anyone make an immediate impact? What big names will also be traded before the night is over? And where is the betting value when it comes to this draft?
Let’s get in to my favorite dark horses and long-shot wagers for tonight’s NBA Draft.
You can find odds for all things NBA at each of the best online sportsbooks available in the U.S.
2025 NBA Draft Dark Horse Picks
Alright, we know Cooper Flagg is going first overall to the Dallas Mavericks, followed by Dylan Harper likely headed to San Antonio to team up with Victor Wembanyama and the rest of the Spurs. But what happens after that?
I’ll admit picks three and four are fairly spelled out as well based on the current betting odds, but I’ve got a solid wager at pick No. 5 that I’m eyeballing.
Tre Johnson put up nearly 20 points per game for the Longhorns last season
No. 5 Overall Pick – 2025 NBA Draft Odds at BetOnline
- Tre Johnson (Texas): +200
- Ace Bailey (Rutgers): +250
- Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma): +250
- Kon Knueppel (Duke): +425
I’ll be taking Tre Johnson to go No.5 Overall at +200 tonight in the NBA Draft. In my eyes, we see Flagg, Harper, VJ Edgecombe, and Kon Knueppel as the first four picks. Assuming the Utah Jazz stay with this spot, you have to take the best scorer in this draft.
Johnson put up 19.9 points per game in a very tough SEC. He is fearless at getting to the rim, and shot nearly 40% from beyond the arc this past year. The freshman played 35 minutes per game for the Longhorns, adding three rebounds and assists while shooting 87% from the stripe as well.
With Collin Sexton and Isaiah Collier already on the roster, there’s no reason for the Jazz to go out and get Jeremiah Fears. If Johnson is available at pick No. 5 for Utah, they need to take the best remaining player in the draft, which is Johnson.
Top-10 NBA Draft Pick Predictions
Egor Demin could sneak into the Top 10 of the NBA Draft tonight
Best Bet: Egor Demin (BYU) +250 BetOnline
I think Egor Demin to go top-10 at this price is worth the stab. Prior to the season, we were talking about this guy being a potential No. 2 overall pick behind Cooper Flagg. While he didn’t have the best season for the Cougars, his ceiling in the NBA is very high.
Demin is a gigantic point guard. He is listed at 6’8″, making him a defensive nightmare for any potential smaller guard he may match up against. The freshman put up 10.6 points and 3.9 boards, while adding 5.5 assists (top-40) and shooting over 41% from the field. I’ll admit, he isn’t the best shooter (from deep or the stripe), but he’s very shifty and can get by anybody standing in his way.
Demin does a great job of penetrating the paint, drawing in the help-side defense, and then dishing it out to shooters in the corners. For a safer bet, his draft position can be taken at under 14.5 at (-120), but for over 2-1, Demin to go top-10 is worth some fun money.
2025 NBA Draft Long-Shot Picks
Maxime Raynaud will be waiting for his name to be called tonight in the NBA Draft
To Be Drafted in the Top-20
Best Bet: Maxime Raynaud (+700) Bovada
The seven-foot French man is NBA ready. Sure he’s a bit on the older side, but he has really upped his game recently. Raynaud had a career best 1.4 blocks this past season, averaging a 20-point double-double. He’s added an outside shooting touch to his game as well, shooting over 35% the past two seasons from beyond the arc. His free-throw shooting has also ballooned up from sub 60% as an underclassmen, to shooting at least 77% from the stripe as a junior and senior at Stanford.
His draft position is listed at 27.5 which is certainly a safer bet, but he is also -275 to be a first round pick. Raynaud has the footwork, dribbling, and speed of a much smaller player. His ability to put the ball on the floor and create for himself and his teammates sets him apart from the rest of the big men in this draft.
At 7-1, sprinkling on a team to draft him in the top-20 is worth a stab.
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