NBA Draft International Player Picks: Odds, Payouts for Most Likely Scenarios

The 2022 NBA Draft class has some great options late in the lottery and beyond, but there’s a dearth of excellent international prospects. Only two are expected to go in the first round, so where can we find betting value? We’ve found the best odds and payouts for scenarios involving those international players.

Ousmane Dieng

The New Zealand Breakers prospect has climbed draft boards in recent weeks, so much so that his Over/Under is at the end of the lottery, and odds for him to go inside the top 10 are far from long. He’s been linked to the New Orleans Pelicans (who pick eighth), San Antonio Spurs (who pick ninth), and Oklahoma City Thunder (who pick 12th)

The Washington Wizards and New York Knicks (who pick 10th and 11th, respectively) have made it no secret that they want to trade for a point guard, so it’s tough to predict who will be making the call at those spots if and when it’s time to select Dieng. 

https://twitter.com/FletcherWDSU/status/1539045096032714753?s=20&t=Db5SWux9izOBc4xMMgDQVg

Dieng’s O/U is set at 13.5 on DraftKings Sportsbook, PointsBet, and Caesars Sportsbook. The best odds for the Under are -135 at DraftKings, and the best odds for the over are +125 on PointsBet.

He’s more or less locked into a lottery selection (top 14), so my money’s on the Under. The only real danger is that he's a reported draft target of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who own the 14th pick.

You can also get Dieng to go in the top 10 at +260 on FanDuel and +275 on PointsBet. 

Verdict: Bet Under 13.5, Get some action on top-10

Nikola Jovic

Jovic is another player whose star is on the rise, and though most mocks have him being drafted around pick No. 20, he could hear his name called right after the lottery in the 15 to 19 range.

The Serbian projects as a point forward in the NBA, using his height to make passes over small defenders. He showed he can shoot the 3-pointer, and his length gives him an ideal set of skills to be a quality 3-and-D player at the next level.

Fortunately, his O/U odds are more favorable than Dieng’s, and you can get them at 20.5 on DraftKings, PointsBet, and Caesars. His best Under odds are at DraftKings, with which he’s -120, and his best Over odds are +120 on PointsBet. 

https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1536376827794829318?s=20&t=Db5SWux9izOBc4xMMgDQVg

The Houston Rockets reportedly have their eye on Jovic, and they pick 17th and 26th. It wouldn’t be unrealistic for the team to use No. 17 or even package the picks and move up to land its guy if it really likes what it sees. The Spurs and Nuggets pick 20th and 21st respectively, and Jovic impressed during his visit to Denver. The Nuggets also have ammunition to move up a spot in the form of the No. 30 pick.

Verdict: Bet the Under

International Special 

PointsBet has a special for the first international player drafted with odds on Dieng (-500), Jovic (+300), and Ismael Kamagate (+5000).

Kamagate is likely to be drafted early in the second round, so there’s no sense in betting him here. At -500, Dieng is the clear favorite, but you’d have to wager five units just to bring one back, so the value here is non-existent. That leaves Jovic at +300, but unless the hype train goes off the rails in the next couple of days, he’ll be drafted behind Dieng.

The best value for these international players comes from betting the Over/Unders.

Verdict: Fade this special

Where to Bet on NBA Draft International Player Picks

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:

FanDuel SportsbookCaesars SportsbookDraftKings SportsbookPointsBetBetMGM

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NBA Draft international player picks made on 6/20/2022 at 10:00 p.m. ET.