Subscribe
Follow Us
The NBA Draft is Thursday and the Portland Trail Blazers will be picking third. It is now time to continue our NBA Draft odds series with a No. 3 overall selection prediction and pick.
With Victor Wembanya expected to be the top pick in the draft on Thursday, the number three pick in the draft may come down to who the Hornets select second. The favorite is Scoot Henderson, but the Hornets may pass on him in favor of Brandon Miller.
The No. 3 pick has produced some all-time greats. In 2017, Jayson Tatum was the pick, while in 2014 produced Joel Embiid at number three. They may not be Hall of Famers or the best of their generation yet, but they are still amazing picks. James Harden should be in the Hall of Fame someday, and he was third in 2009. As were Carmelo Anthony and Pau Gasol. The Hall of Fame is home to Kevin McHale and Bob Cousy, both were No. 3 overall picks by the Celtics. Then, the most famous of them all, Michael Jordan went third to the Bulls in 1984.
Brandon Miller, the Alabama Freshman Forward could be a great fit with the Blazers and Lillard. Scoot Henderson, the guard out of the G-League could fall to three, but there are questions about the fit between him and Lillard. Then there are the wing brothers from the Overtime Elite League, Amen, and Ausar Thompson. Cam Whitemore is another top option, as another wing player out of Villanova. Jarace Walker out of Houston could give Portland a nice big forward who continues to improve. Still, he is not likely to be an immediate star for the Blazers. Rounding out the top options is Anthony Black. He is the second-best guard of the draft but seems more destined for a second half of the top ten.
Here are the NBA Draft Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Draft Odds: No. 3 Overall Pick
Brandon Miller -140
Scoot Henderson +100
Amen Thompson +1400
Cam Whitmore +2900
Jarace Walker +5000
Anthony Black +9500
*Watch NBA Draft LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Favorites To Be Selected No. 3 Overall
The favorite to go No. 3 in the NBA Draft to the Portland Trail Blazers is Brandon Miller. First, there is a major assumption here. The assumption is Miller does not go second to the Hornets. Second, it assumes Miller is the best choice here for Portland. Miller will be a solid versatile player who can hit threes. He shot 45.1 percent from three-point range last year Miller was the SEC player of the year who averaged 18.8 points per game for the Crimson Tide last year and 8.2 rebounds.
Miller may be the most complete player in the draft, and who Lillard would like to play with. There are issues though. First, Miller is not a great ball-handler yet. He would need to develop there. Second, there are the off-the-court issues. He was connected to a fatal shooting while at Alabama, and that may scare off a GM.
The favorite to go second overall is Scoot Henderson, but if he does not, he should be a lock to go third. Henderson may have a leg up on most players in this draft. He has been playing in the G-League, meaning he is playing by the NBA rules with players who are near the NBA level. In many years, Henderson could easily be the first pick in the draft, but with a generational talent like Victor Wembanya in front of him, he may have to settle for second, or even third. The biggest argument here for Henderson to go third is fit.
LaMelo is a natural point guard but is a much better shooter. With both of them on the court, that would require LaMelo to move to the shooting guard spot most likely. If not, much of Henderson's talents are wasted. Henderson is a solid ball handler who does great at getting to the basket. He is not a deep shooter though. With the Hornets looking to give a compliment to LaMelo, Miller can go second, leaving Henderson to the Trail Blazers at three.
Sleepers To Be Selected No. 3 Overall
After the top two sit one of the Thompson twins. Amen, Thompson sits third. Amen is regarded as the better prospect for the twins. Both are wing players and both have some great strengths. Amen is amazing on the pick and roll, and can handle the ball well. He is a plus defender with great size and speed. Still, he struggles from shooting anywhere outside right at the rim. Beyond outside shooting, the major knock on him is the competition he played. He played in a league of 16-20-year-olds. They are not as complete as even what Miller played at Alabama. If Thompson is not ready immediately, it could cause unrest with Lillard.
Cam Whitmore is next on the list and should be considered. He was the Big East Freshman of the Year last year, and at 6'7″ he is one of the best rim players in the class. Whitmore is also solid on the defensive end, with 1.4 steals per game last year. He was a fair shooter last year, but at the rim, he hit 72.3% of his shots. He has a ton of talent, and if the Trail Blazers want a forward who is ready to compete at the next level. Whitemore is more of a known commodity than the others and would fill that role perfectly.
In the same vein at Whitmore is Jarace Walker. He is a plus defender with a 7'2″ wingspan. He has a fair three-point shot and good passing ability. Still, Walker is much more of a role player. He may not make the major impact the Blazers are looking for with this pick.
If the Trail Blazers plan on moving away from Lillard, want a guard, and Henderson is gone the pick is Anthony Black. Black is not great off the dribble but is a large guard who can make shots. The biggest issue is his taking shots. He did not take a lot at Arkansas and seemed almost afraid to shoot. He is a solid defender though, and should be a top-ten pick.
No. 3 Overall Draft Pick Prediction and Pick
Unless there is a major surprise, the pick will be Henderson or Miller. Henderson is the more complete prospect. He played against NBA-level competition every game, not just when it was a major opponent. There are not the same level of off-the-court concerns either. This is why he will go second in the draft. Then the question is, are the off-the-court issues with Miller enough to pass on to him? Or is the upside of Thompson enough to take the risk? Lillard has made it clear, he wants the Blazers to move the pick. The most likely option if the pick is moved is someone wanting Miller. With the third pick in the NBA Draft the Portland Trail Blazers select, Brandon Miller.
No. 3 Overall Draft Pick Prediction and Pick: Brandon Miller (-140)
