Detroit Pistons: Early odds for the 5th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft

The Motor City let out a collective groan when we saw the Detroit Pistons’ logo on the other side of the card with the big five on it in the NBA Draft Lottery.

We were preparing for the worst, but it still stung, even more so because of the presence of Victor Wembanyama at the top of the draft. This shows why tanking is so risky and tedious with the new lottery odds. You not only have to buck the 86 percent odds of not getting that #1 pick, but even if you do land it, the year in which it happens makes all of the difference. One year you might get Anthony Bennett, one year you might get Cade Cunningham or Wembanyama.

The good news is that plenty of great players have been taking with the #5 pick in the draft, including all-timers like Scottie Pippen, Kevin Garnett and Dwyane Wade.

The Detroit Pistons appear to have gotten a very good player in Jaden Ivey with the 5th pick and hope to do it again this year. So who do the oddsmakers think it is going to be?

Detroit Pistons: Early odds for the 5th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft

I’m adding this disclaimer to avoid the teenage mansplainers who do 15-team parlays on their phones explaining how odds work to me (thanks, fella!):

Sportsbooks make odds in order to get the maximum number of bets and to ensure they aren’t likely to lose money, so these don’t necessarily reflect who the sharps think the Detroit Pistons will draft, though it does give us some idea.

So here are the six players with the top odds to be chosen with the 5th pick according to Fanduel:

• Ausar Thompson +260
• Amen Thompson +270
• Jarace Walker +300
• Cam Whitmore +440
• Taylor Hendricks +1000
• Anthony Black +1900

It’s interesting to see both Thompson Twins atop the odds, as many believe Amen will be gone by the time the Pistons choose. But one of these talented wings are going to fall into their laps, for the Pistons it’s all about choosing the right one.

The best bet might be Cam Whitmore, who is getting +440 odds for some reason. It may be because the sharps think he isn’t going to fall to five, or it could be that he isn’t as highly thought of as some Pistons’ fans might think. It could also just be a way to get Pistons’ fans to lay down heavy bets on Whitmore.

In the end, these odds are essentially meaningless, but it’s likely that the next Pistons’ draft pick comes out of this group of players. Which one would you prefer?