With the NBA All-Star Game Picks and game itself this Sunday at VegasBetting, we decided to do something completely different. Mybookie online betting sportsbook rebounded with numbers for yes, a draft. The All-Star Game begins Sunday night, but a half hour before the start, the captains will pick their teams. Yes, the fans get an additional treat via the option to bet on who the first pick will be for Team LeBron this Sunday night.
NBA All-Star Top Draft Pick | ![]() | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Luka Doncic | +320 | +350 |
Joel Embiid | +400 | +425 |
Kyrie Irving | +425 | +450 |
Jayson Tatum | +425 | +450 |
Nikola Jokic | +450 | +475 |
Ja Morant | +800 | +750 |
Donovan Mitchell | +1400 | +1200 |
Lauri Maarkanen | +5000 | +4500 |
NBA All-Star Game Picks wonder who LeBron James will choose first. Amusingly, it became funny that there was a Valentine’s Day update to the numbers. One of the names immediately came to mind was Luka Doncic. Doncic has been all-world in the first half of the season, averaging a league-best 33.2 points per game. That goes along with 8.9 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game. Doncic is a one-man wrecking crew for the Dallas Mavericks.
Granted, Dallas may only be 31-28 at press time, but the Mavericks would be 13th in the West without the Guard. His win share metric is at 8.3, so Dallas arguably would have a 23-36 record without Doncic. Furthermore, games like this often feature little defense. However, there is that new wrinkle called the Elam Ending. Here is a bit more on that one.
It’s NBA All-Star Week and the Elam Ending is back for the 4th year in a row‼️🏀
— TBT (@thetournament) February 14, 2023
– @Dame_Lillard’s half court shot
– @KingJames’ game winner in Cleveland
– @Klow7 TAKING A CHARGE
The ASG is just better with the @ElamEnding… pic.twitter.com/rJith28Q4a
Sunday night endings seem better with the Elam Ending. At the very least, there adds some competitive edge to a game where everything feels more about showmanship. Luka Doncic said it as much last year. Most players seem to like this idea, and it is already in its fourth year of existence. Could Doncic be one of those players who execute the Elam Ending this year? That is possible.
So, NBA All-Star Game Picks attempts to go for the gold and the favorite first. In this case, Doncic remains kind of a long shot considering LeBron chose him sixth in a different format last season. Also, LeBron cannot choose Giannis Antetokounmpo because Giannis is a Captain this time around. Let us shoot for the stars with Doncic first.
Now, NBA All-Star Game Picks looks back again to last year. Why? Maybe, it offers some clues as to who may be the first draft pick for Lebron James and Team LeBron. There were some interesting choices between the two captains, but again, LeBron took Stephen Curry with his second selection. After that, Ja Morant got drafted by Team Durant. It makes one wonder. Could one of the longer odds make the cut?
Again, Ja Morant comes in at +800 on MyBookie. That rides in at sixth out of the eight players listed in the table above. Nobody expects Donovan Mitchell or Lauri Maarkanen to be the number one pick. However, any of the other six have a case, at least. Yes, this makes the pre-game show a must-watch television. LeBron will be on the spot, and it will be quite a sweat.
KD refusing to pick James Harden in the 2022 NBA All-Star Draft is one of the funniest moments in NBA history 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/oAZNjJlNT0
— Prep 🌒 (@BigBlueCurry) July 13, 2022
So, does one see the precedent of sorts set above? Fans and experts would be more surprised to see Kyrie Irving get drafted by LeBron. That goes double for being picked first. Seeing Irving at +425 is arguably fools’ gold. Some felt he might as well be +1000 or +2000 or longer.
Fortunately, bettors and even sharps get several kicks at the can. NBA online betting sites pondered shifting a few of these players around, but those changes would not be dramatic enough given the value. Morant averaged 27.5 points per contest in 47 games played and also has 8.3 assists to go along with nearly six rebounds a night. Morant looks poised to be our long-shot pick at going number one on Sunday to LeBron.
The NBA All-Star Game Picks unveil a few more potential twists for Sunday night. Again, Team LeBron is pretty good at this. They won three years ago and then won last season by 163-160. Are there any other NBA Vegas online prop bets to ponder? Game props expect to be high, considering 150 points feels like a normal amount over the past several mid-season classics.
So, with the defensive side of the equation being optional, that first pick proves to be more profitable than trying to figure out a moneyline for this game or a spread, arguably. However, in the interest of fairness, spreads have typically been five points or fewer here for the All-Star Game. These teams typically are pretty evenly matched.
Shaq needed a close-up after this strong and-1 in the 2004 NBA All-Star Game! 😂
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) February 15, 2023
2023 #NBAAllStar Game: Sunday, Feb. 19 on TNT pic.twitter.com/p8O49ddnhc
The memories of past All-Star games often ring in our ears. Could we see another great moment or two on Sunday? Absolutely. Expect the unexpected at what has been one fun event to watch over the past several years. Despite COVID, the NBA knows how to put on a show. Leaving the rosters to the final moments makes a fan tune in and even gives wagerers an extra challenge.
For NBA All-Star Game Picks, consider two more options. Now, Jayson Tatum would be an interesting top pick but what about Nikola Jokic? Okay, Tatum is more likely LeBron’s selection, especially since Tatum is healthy.
What are our options? Do we pick Team LeBron again? Since the format came into existence, he has been 4-for-4. Our thoughts are to take them again to make it 5-for-5 Sunday. Good luck!
Summary
Chris Wassel AA, AAS CURRENTLY Sports Writer and Journalist RESIDES IN Rahway, NJ EDUCATION Union County College, Montclair State University EXPERTISE Business, Writing, Sports, Food, Grilling, Olympics, Injuries, Politics, and more Summary Member of FSWA, FSGA, and a variety of Sports Betting Groups. Lead arranger of news and injury reports for Rotoballer Hockey. Also did the news lead for NASCAR on the same site coming out of COVID. Strategy and mapping out of various sports betting and sports articles for MyNHLTradeRumors and gambling.com. Runs a hockey and fantasy hockey podcast that teaches fantasy hockey players how to improve their skills. Experience Chris Wassel has 20+ years of sports journalistic experience in various disciplines.. His ability to play sports is well documented. Most people in the business just write. However, Chris will race cars and even a super Moto bike from time to time. There is that fitness and hiking/cycling aspect too. Chris has climbed mountains from Mount Washington to Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs, California. For those that do not know. Chris also dabbles in food eating contests and challenges. Having a unique background with friends including Joey Chestnut and Casey Webb, Chris has the ability to eat a whole 16-pound turkey or a 32 inch meat lover's pizza. Since 2013, Chris has primarily focused on sports writing and fitness. On social media, he will answer any question in many different aspects. Even Chris's ability to wager on Entertainment and US Elections is well documented. He was able to predict Joe Biden's inevitable dip in approval rating below 40%. Throughout his career, Chris has worked at a lot of places from DraftKings to USA Today and much more. Finally, Chris has been nominated for quite a few awards from the Fantasy Sports Writers Association for Hockey Writer Of The Year. Also, there have been a number of amazing fantasy hockey championships from expert to high-stake leagues. Education Chris received an Associates from Union Country College for business and accounting. Chris did sports journalism work at Montclair State University covering the hockey, baseball, and football teams. Quote from Chris Wassel "Do Not Think, Just Do.”
Education
1999 Graduate of Union County College
1993 Graduate of Rahway High School
Professional Achievements
Media credentialed member of the New Jersey Devils since 2010
Covered several NHL Drafts including the one day event in Newark in 2013
Been on countless podcasts, TV shows, and more including Sportsnet and even NHL Network