2025 NBA Draft Odds and Predictions

The 2025 NBA Draft is already on everyone’s minds. Whether it’s just because you can bet on the NBA Summer League at the moment, or the fact that Cooper Flagg just got done schooling some NBA stars, it’s been a hot topic.

Yes, it’s weird that is the case considering the most recent draft wrapped up not that long ago.

However, the 2024 installment didn’t produce a true consensus #1 prospect. There wasn’t a Wemby this time around, and the top draftniks and fans are already clamoring over the idea that the 2025 class will be far more compelling.

The aforementioned Flagg is a huge part of that, and as you’d guess, he’s the favorite to go #1 overall. But will he?

Let’s inspect the latest 2025 NBA Draft odds and gauge how it could all unfold next summer.

When is the 2025 NBA Draft?

There actually isn’t any concrete information out yet as far as when the 2025 NBA Draft will be, or even where it will be held.

While true, we know nobody will be drafted until after the NBA Finals next year, and that this usually happens sometime in June. As far as where the 2025 NBA Draft will be, the safe guess is probably the Barclays Center.

That’s been the scene of the crime for NBA hopefuls since 2013, and I don’t see why it’d change going into next summer.

We’re quite a ways out before next year’s draft arrives, but it also stands to reason that TV coverage would continue to run through ESPN, like always.

2025 NBA Draft Odds

I mentioned that American hooper Cooper Flagg is the consensus favorite to be selected #1 overall. The Duke commit has heavy -500 2025 NBA Draft odds, so logic suggests he’s the only viable bet here.

That said, he isn’t alone and it’s early, so let’s take a look at the other prospects garnering pricing at online sports betting sites like BetOnline.

Flagg’s -500 betting odds to go #1 overall as pretty damning. If I was serious about this betting market, I’d really look for alternatives that I felt had a realistic shot at stealing the spotlight.

The good news? It’s really early in the process, so while Flagg does look like the best prospect going into the 2024-25 college basketball season, a lot could happen.

Flagg could struggle at the next level, he could get hurt, Duke as a team could fail to impress, or perhaps someone else just outshines him on their own.

As things stand, Airous Bailey is the next best bet, but obviously all roads appear to go through Cooper Flagg when discussing the #1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Let’s dive into why that is, and then touch on some potential #1 pick betting alternatives for next summer.

Why is Cooper Flagg the Favorite to Go #1 in the 2025 NBA Draft?

Cooper Flagg has been talked up as a near-lock to be a consensus #1 pick in the NBA Draft for some time.

He’s been flat out dominating in high school hoops and his YouTube mixtapes are pretty exciting. The overall numbers don’t exactly blow you away – 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game – but Flagg’s overall skill-set is what makes him a tantalizing prospect.

Flagg’s ability to do it all was put on full display with Team USA not really having an answer for him dring practice as they revved up for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

That’s a small sample size, and truth be told, we won’t really know what Flagg is until he laces up his sneakers and starts playing for the Duke Blue Devils.

Still, taking it to NBA superstars and doing it seemingly with ease is extremely impressive. In a short window, Flagg put his full arsenal on display, too.

The size, length, and athleticism are all on par with top NBA prospects, but Flagg also is an elite shot-blocking presence and has an offensive feel and touch that is difficult to teach.

For a big man, he really can do everything. Flagg averaged nearly four dimes per game in his most recent season, and he also added 1.6 steals and 2.7 blocks per contest, while connecting on 38% of his long range attempts.

Provided he doesn’t get hurt or free fall at Duke, he looks every bit the part of a #1 pick.

Top Contenders to Be Drafted #1 Overall in 2025

This is very likely a betting market where you’re just taking the favorite or ignoring it altogether.

That said, there is always room for change, and if you either don’t think Flagg goes #1 or feel like the odds could shift down the road, now could be the time to take advantage.

If that’s your preferred NBA Draft betting strategy, I’d start with the following two players.

Ace Bailey +325

Flagg is not the only athletic big man that the NBA will have interest in making the #1 overall pick in next year’s draft.

The 6’10” Georgia product offers a much more impressive resume on paper, as he put up a staggering 33.4 points and 15.5 rebounds per game.

He also looked quite good while doing so.

Bailey’s actual talent and production are obviously off the charts, but his individual success extended to his team, as he led his squad to the Class AAAAAA state title game.

In terms of potential, Bailey might be more appealing than Flagg. He’s the far more explosive athlete, and he has the makings of a well-rounded skill-set.

The 2023-24 Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year ranks second in the nation only behind Flagg, but it’s certainly arguable he should be seen as a prospect with more upside.

Committing to play for Rutgers could definitely be an interesting move for Bailey. On one hand, it’d only be more impressive if he could put the Scarlet Knights on the map. Leading them to the NCAA tourney and finding any level of success would showcase his leadership and ability to carry a team.

On the flip side, it’s very realistic to assume he’d have a difficult time accomplishing that. If that were to be the case, Cooper Flagg could cement his #1 overall pick spot with very little effort.

Nolan Traore +850

The player with the third best 2025 NBA Draft odds stands in as my second favorite contender to be taken #1 overall.

Most 2025 NBA mock drafts have him pegged as a top-10 lock, and he’s typically one of the first guards discussed in the top portion of the draft.

One thing people don’t always consider is team need, and which team actually “wins” the NBA Draft Lottery. My guess is they’d just take the best player available, but what if Traore has a fantastic season, is the best guard in this draft class, and the team picking first needs a guard?

Suddenly he’d be an option, especially since he’s such a fluid player who has already put up big numbers against proven competition overseas.

He’s also a France product, and the league has become infatuated with discovering the next big French star ever since Wemby was the top pick two years ago.

I can’t fault them for that, but that logic may have caused Zaccharie Risacher to go overdrafted when he claimed the #1 spot this summer.

Traore has elite playmaking ability, a very strong handle, and tough-to-teach decision-making with the ball in his hands. It’s unclear if he’s more LaMelo Ball or more Killian Hayes, and that’s the risk with making him a top overall pick.

That said, the raw talent is there and if there is a great need for a guard again come next summer, he’ll be in play for the top pick.

Best 2025 NBA Draft Value Bet

The top value bet right now is without a doubt VJ Edgecombe. Apart from having the coolest name of all the top 2025 NBA Draft prospects, he’s also offering the best price.

This is especially the case in relation to overall talent and current projection. Edgecombe has appealing +2000 NBA Draft odds, even though some mocks profile him as the top guard in this class.

The Baylor commit will have to prove himself at the college level, but he has good size for the lead guard position and put up a solid state line (17.3 points and four assists per game) in his final season of high school ball.

Edgecombe also claimed New York Gatorade Player of the Year honors, and was also named the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference Player of the Year.

His only real issue would be his size and questions regarding manning the point at the next level. The kid is a freak athlete with great defensive aptitude and a well-rounded offensive skill-set.

Is it enough to have his name called first in the 2025 NBA Draft? I’m not sure, but he is certainly the most alluring value bet for this betting market.

2025 NBA Draft Predictions

The 2025 NBA Draft is forever from now, and it’s Cooper Flagg’s night. He is without a doubt regarded as the most complete prospect going into the 2024-25 college basketball season, and it’d be a shock if he wasn’t the first player off draft boards in June.

The only real argument against him right now is his price tag. I definitely wouldn’t feel great about placing a bet with -500 odds attached to it, so for me, this is a wait-and-see market.

You can flirt with some value bets, and if you do, I’d start with his biggest threat, which is easily Ace Bailey. There is still a considerable amount of ground to be made up, but if he can lead Rutgers to a successful season, he’d be thrust into the conversation in a very real way.

Ideally, Bailey and/or some of the other NBA Draft prospects simply do enough to push Flagg’s betting odds to go # down a bit. If he can get closer to something palatable like -200, I’d be willing to pounce.

Either way, Flagg is going first overall in June. It’s up to you if you want to hammer that bet before the odds get even worse.

Bet: Cooper Flagg -500