NBA insider Adrian Voinaroski rarely makes mistakes. He, like all other experts, was in the dark with Thursday's # 1 pick on the 2022 NBA Draft Topic.
For most of Thursday, ESPN's top basketball reporter welcomed Jabari Smith Jr. as the top selection of Orlando Magic. Then, about 30 minutes before the pick took place, Voy pivoted to Paolo Banchero, within first place.
On Thursday at 7:30 pm, Banchero was +300 to go first overall. Five minutes later, Voy said in a live ESPN report that Banchero was included in Magic's "mix."
7:40 pm He tweeted that Banchero was "seriously considered" by Magic to go first. By 7:44 pm Banchero was a -200 favorite to go first.
Shortly thereafter, Duke products certainly took first place.
Perhaps more shocking than Voinalowski's vague draft information is Smith, who was reported to like to go first first, No. 3 — Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren at number two. Going to Thunder, Smith slipped into the Houston Rockets at 3 o'clock.
The NBA Draft 1-2-3 is getting stronger and stronger as the team board makes its final decision today. According to sources, Jabari Smith to Orlando and Chet Holmgren to Oklahoma. From City and Paolo Banchero to Houston.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn)June 23, 2022
The biggest problem is one of the NBA's biggest insiders Is how wrong it was. Goodbye? At 8:41 am on Thursday, Voinaroski reported that the top three drafts were "increasingly strong", with Smith in first place, Holmgren in second place and Banchero in third place.
The magnitude of the shaking that Woj gives to the NBA world is impressive. His late report shifted the line by 500 points and probably lost a lot of money to some people.
As the NBA draft continues on ESPN, there is still time for Woj to get the right pick.
