The Toronto Raptors will have the 13th selection when the 2023 NBA Draft takes place June 22 in Brooklyn.
While it may seem like an unlikely Ontario sportsbooks bet that Toronto will pick up a star talent in that spot, few pro sports leagues feature the balance of talent of the NBA Draft.
Between No. 1 picks like Anthony Davis (2012) and later first round picks like Jimmy Butler of Chicago and Miami (30th pick in 2011), there’s plenty of opportunity to land a franchise-changing player, regardless of where you stand in the first round.
Look at two-time regular season and 2023 NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic, who has thrived in the league after going to the newly crowned NBA champion Denver Nuggets with the 41st pick of the 2011 NBA Draft.
That serves as a perfect illustration of how teams can land a franchise-altering player at any point. BetMGM Sportsbook Ontario has the Nuggets favored to repeat, while the Raptors are +8000 for the title.
With this year’s draft just a few days away, OntarioBets decided to look at which spot has produced the best talent since 2010. Using Basketball-Reference.com, we gathered the VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) of every NBA first-round draft pick between 2010 and 2022. The VORP was combined to find the best draft spot (over replacement players) instead of averaged due to players being in the NBA for different lengths of time.
What Draft Slots Have Produced Best Players?
What Raptors Can Expect With 13th Pick
While no one is saying Toronto will land the next Donovan Mitchell at No. 13 in 2023, there’s no shortage of talent available to the 2019 NBA champions.
While French sensation Victor Wembanyama is the runaway favorite on Ontario betting apps to be the No. 1 pick, mock drafts have the Raptors landing a variety of college talent. SBNation’s Ricky O’Donnell projects the team to land former Michigan guard Kobe Bufkin, while Sam Vecenie of The Athletic expects Toronto to get Indiana wing Jalen Hood-Schifino.
Either would be a solid replacement option for departing Raptor Fred VanVleet, who is slated to become a free agent this summer, allowing new coach Darko Rajakovic to start fresh in the backcourt.
Regardless of who Toronto winds up taking with the 13th pick, there are plenty of talented players out there for the franchise to choose from as the Raptors look to return to their championship-winning ways.
