2017 NBA Draft Odds: Who Were the Top Picks and Betting Favorites?
I remember sitting in my living room back in 2017, watching the NBA Draft unfold with that particular excitement that only basketball fans truly understand. The energy was electric, not just because we were about to witness the future of basketball take shape, but because there was something special about this class that had analysts and casual fans alike buzzing for months. As someone who's followed basketball drafts for over fifteen years, I can confidently say the 2017 draft class had one of the most fascinating pre-draft narratives I've ever seen, with betting odds that shifted dramatically right up until commissioner Adam Silver stepped to the podium.
The conversation that year inevitably began and ended with Markelle Fultz, who sat comfortably as the consensus number one pick with the Boston Celtics holding that coveted spot. Looking back at the betting markets, Fultz was as close to a lock as you can get in professional sports drafting - most books had him at -1000 or even higher to go first overall. I remember telling friends that betting against Fultz going first was basically throwing money away, despite the intriguing case for Lonzo Ball. The UCLA product had generated tremendous buzz with his unique playing style and that unforgettable college season, but the gap between Fultz and everyone else seemed substantial in the eyes of most experts and bookmakers.
What made the 2017 draft particularly memorable for me was how the trade between Boston and Philadelphia reshaped everything. When the Celtics moved down to number three in exchange for Philadelphia taking Fultz first, the entire dynamic shifted. Suddenly, we had Jayson Tatum entering the conversation at three, while Lonzo Ball seemed destined for the Lakers at two. I've always been fascinated by how draft position affects player development, and in this case, being selected by different franchises with distinct coaching styles and organizational cultures undoubtedly shaped these players' careers in ways we're still understanding today.
The international prospects added another layer of intrigue to the betting markets. Lauri Markkanen from Arizona (by way of Finland) generated significant interest, while French guard Frank Ntilikina saw his stock rise steadily in the weeks leading up to the draft. I recall having a particular soft spot for Donovan Mitchell, who I thought was being undervalued in both draft projections and betting odds. Mitchell eventually went thirteenth to Denver before being traded to Utah, but his rookie season performance certainly made the teams that passed on him regret their decisions.
When I think about the context of hosting major events, it reminds me of the reference to UST hosting since Season 79 with opening ceremonies at Plaza Mayor back in 2016. There's something about established venues and traditions that adds to the spectacle of these drafts. The 2017 event at Barclays Center in Brooklyn had that same sense of occasion - a perfect backdrop for the life-changing moments these young athletes were about to experience. The atmosphere in these venues directly influences the energy of the broadcast, which in turn affects how fans engage with the betting markets and draft projections.
Looking back with the benefit of hindsight, it's fascinating to see which picks delivered value and which fell short. The top three picks - Fultz, Ball, and Tatum - have had dramatically different career trajectories. Tatum has developed into a bona fide superstar and franchise cornerstone, while Fultz and Ball have struggled with injuries and consistency issues. Meanwhile, later picks like Bam Adebayo (14th), John Collins (19th), and Jarrett Allen (22nd) have outperformed their draft positions significantly. This kind of outcome is exactly why I always caution against putting too much stock in pre-draft betting favorites - the NBA draft remains one of the most unpredictable events in sports.
The betting markets themselves told a compelling story beyond just the first pick. Prop bets on which position would be selected first after the obvious top choices, over/unders on how many international players would go in the first round, and even wagers on what color suit a player would wear added layers to the viewing experience. I've always found that these ancillary markets help engage casual fans in ways that pure basketball analysis sometimes can't.
Six years later, the 2017 draft class has given us multiple All-Stars, several max contract players, and at least one future Hall of Famer in Tatum. The betting favorites got some things right - Fultz did indeed go first - but the real value emerged in places most casual observers didn't anticipate. My biggest takeaway from covering that draft remains the importance of organizational fit and development systems over pure pre-draft hype. The success stories from this class largely came from situations where teams understood how to cultivate the specific talents they were drafting rather than simply taking the "best available athlete" according to consensus boards.
As I reflect on that night in Brooklyn, what stands out most is the palpable sense of possibility. Each selection carried the weight of franchise-altering potential, and the betting odds merely captured our collective best guesses about how those possibilities would unfold. The truth, as we've seen in the years since, is that development is nonlinear and success in the NBA depends on far more than just draft position. Still, there's nothing quite like draft night for reminding us why we love this game - the endless potential, the dramatic reveals, and the beginning of stories we'll be following for years to come.
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