Bronny James emerges as a captivating prospect in the 2024 NBA draft, with speculation fueled by the potential to reunite him with his legendary father, LeBron James, in the NBA. This allure has spurred significant betting activity on James’ draft prospects.
FanDuel reports that James has garnered 30% of the tickets to be selected first overall by the Atlanta Hawks, leading all players in the sportsbook. BetMGM reveals that the USC guard commands 36.8% of the bets, a substantial lead over the second-highest contender, Alex Sarr (-300), who holds 14% of the bets. James, initially not listed in the No. 1 overall market at DraftKings, was added as a potential candidate.
Despite consensus odds of 200-1 to be chosen first, tied with Purdue’s Zach Edey, James continues to attract attention from smaller bettors, indicating interest in a potential outlier scenario. ESPN’s latest mock draft projects James as a late-second-round pick.
FanDuel notes that James accounts for only 6% of the handle to go first overall, while BetMGM reports a figure of 4.1%, contrasting sharply with Sarr’s dominant 65.5% of handle.
“We’re not concerned with accumulating a liability there,” remarks BetMGM senior trader Halvor Egeland. “It’s all relatively small wagers, nothing exceeding $100.”
Despite prevailing odds and draft pundits’ projections, the betting market remains active around James’ potential destinations.
Both DraftKings and BetMGM list LeBron James’ current team, the Los Angeles Lakers, as the favorite to draft Bronny James, with odds of +180. DraftKings observes James leading in both bets (33%) and handle (60%), while BetMGM identifies LeBron’s former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers (10-1), as the handle leader, with 34.8%.
