Scoot Henderson now overwhelming odds-on betting favorite over Brandon Miller to be No. 2 overall pick by Hornets in Thursday's 2023 NBA Draft
Who will the Charlotte Hornets pick at No. 2 overall tonight?
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The Charlotte Hornets, who will be run by owner Michael Jordan for just a few more days before his majority stake sale of the team is finalized, are on the clock for the 2023 NBA Draft. Yes, the Spurs pick first tonight from Brooklyn, but they are taking Victor Wembanyama. That's the biggest lock in sports this year. Alabama's Brandon Miller had been the heavy favorite to be picked second by the Hornets just a few hours ago, but G-League guard Scoot Henderson is now the massive favorite to go No. 2 at various sportsbooks.
Miller would seemingly make a lot more sense for Charlotte because it already has a stellar young point guard in LaMelo Ball and needs frontcourt help like Miller much more than it needs another backcourt piece like Henderson. Shams Charania recently tweeted that Henderson is "gaining serious momentum" to be taken with the No. 2 overall pick. He and Ball can both play off the ball if need be, with Ball a much better perimeter shooter right now and Henderson better at getting to the rim.
Henderson is ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect via the CBS Sports Big Board. Both CBS Sports mock drafts updated this morning have Miller to Charlotte and Henderson to Portland at No. 3. The 6-foot-2 Henderson averaged 17.6 points, 6.6 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game last season for the G League Ignite.
Here are some changes we have seen so far today:
Note that the prop corresponds with which player is chosen second, not with the team that picks them – although Charlotte has rebuffed all trade offers thus far to move out of No. 2. Portland reportedly covets Henderson, so this could all be a smokescreen by the Hornets to raise the price on the Blazers moving up one spot.
Also note that draft props are very temperamental. We saw a ton of movement for the No. 2 pick ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft as well. Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud was a longshot the morning of the first round last month, but closed as the big favorite and went second to Houston.
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