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The NBA Draft is Thursday and the Charlotte Hornets will be picking second. It is now time to continue our NBA Draft odds series with a No. 2 overall selection prediction and pick.
With Victor Wembanya expected to be the top pick in the draft on Thursday, the biggest question is who the Hornets will take at number two overall. The No. 2 pick has produced some all-time greats. In 2007 the Seattle SuperSonics took Kevin Durant at the pick. Alonzo Mourning was taken in 1992 by the Charlotte Hornets, while Jason Kidd went second to the Mavericks in 1994. Hall of Famers Jerry West and Bill Russell were also number two picks in their respective drafts. The Hornets will be looking for a generational talent with this pick as well, and there are some solid options.
Brandon Miller, the Alabama Freshman Forward could be a great fit next to LaMelo Ball. Scoot Henderson, the guard out of the G-League could cause some defensive issues for teams as the Hornets roll out two-point guards. Then there are the wing brothers from the Overtime Elite League, Amen, and Ausar Thompson. Cam Whitemore rounds out the top options, as another wing player out of Villanova. Who will be lucky enough to hear their name called as the No. 2 pick in this year's NBA Draft?
Here are the NBA Draft Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Draft Odds: No. 2 Overall Pick
Scoot Henderson -195
Brandon Miller +140
Victor Wembanyama +12000
Amen Thompson +12000
Ausar Thompson +12000
Cam Whitmore +12000
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Favorites To Be Selected No. 2 Overall
The favorite to go second overall is Scoot Henderson. First, Henderson may have a leg up on most players in this draft. He has been playing in the G-League for the past year. That means 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. Henderson is a talented point guard who gets to the rim with ease. He is strong with a great burst, and while he is just 6'2″, his 6'9″ wingspan allows him to play much bigger than he is.
Henderson is still not the best shooter though. He has trouble from the outside and his shooting percentage in the G-League was not great. While picking another point guard may be odd for the Hornets with LaMelo Ball already there, the combination could cause major stresses for defense. Another reason to believe he will go second overall is if the Hornets have a deal in place to trade his rights. They could easily pick him in the hopes of grabbing a larger haul.
The other major option is Brandon Miller. If Charlotte wants a nice complementary player to LaMelo and Mark Miller, Brandon Miller may be the pick. Jonathan Wasserman reported that the front office for the Hornets believes Miller is a star in the making. Miller was the SEC player of the year, with a 39.4 shooting percentage from three-point range. That is a major difference from Henderson who struggles from deep. Miller also averaged 18.8 points per game for the Crimson Tide last year and 8.2 rebounds. Still, while Miller is a great spot-up shooter, he is not someone who can create his shot. He would need LaMelo to do that for him, and LaMelo has had some injury concerns. 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.
Sleepers To Be Selected No. 2 Overall
After the two favorites, next on the odds board is Victor Wembanya. There is almost no chance this is the pick here at number two. It is nothing to do with him, but he is -50000 to go first overall. It would be beyond shocking if he did not go first, so if somehow he does not go first, he will go second.
After that sits the twin's Amen and Ausar Thompson. Amen is probably the better prospect here. 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. Ausar is a little bit more physical and a slightly better shooter. He is not going to take it to the rim though. He struggles to get to a scoring area without the ball in his hands.
Another issue for both is the league they played in. The level of competition is not uniform. There are not amazing comps coming out of the league, and this makes for a high-risk, but high-reward set of picks. Regardless, while the twins are probably better defenders than Miller of Henderson, they are not as complete. If the Hornets want the three-ball, Miller will be the pick. Perhaps they want someone to create an offense, that leans more toward Henderson. If they want lockdown defense, then it will be one of these two.
Cam Whitemore is at the bottom of the odds list, but should still 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, but as the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets may look elsewhere.
No. 2 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. The biggest issues with Henderson are he plays the same position as LaMelo Ball and the three-point shooting. Both of those can be worked around. With the second pick in the NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets select, Scoot Henderson.
No. 2 Overall Draft Pick Prediction and Pick: Scoot Henderson (-195)
