NBA Draft Odds: Chris Duarte Stock Rising Following Workout With Warriors

University of Oregon shooting guard Chris Duarte is looking like a borderline lottery pick and the odds at WynnBET are starting to reflect his rise up draft boards. 

Duarte was invited to the 2021 NBA Draft Green Room after being considered a consensus top-20 draft pick, but now WynnBET has his projected draft position set at 16.5 with the under (-130) as a massive favorite to the over (+110). 

This is a huge shift for Duarte. Just yesterday, I wrote about the shooting guard’s potential fit with the Golden State Warriors with the No. 14 pick, and it is now looking more likely that he could find himself as a selection at the end of the lottery. 

Prior to his workout with Golden State yesterday along with Moses Moody, Trey Murphy and Davion Mitchell, Duarte’s projected draft position was at 19.5 with the under (-130) as the favorite to the over (-104).

Since then he’s moved a full three spots in the projection, and with the under still favored, it’s not out of the question that Golden State chooses him at No. 14 or that another lottery team takes him before the Warriors’ selection. 

While Duarte is already 24 years old since he spent two years in junior college before playing at Oregon, he possesses some major skills that NBA teams value. Not only is he an elite shooter (42.4 percent from 3 last season), but Duarte has the size at 6-6 to be an elite defender as well.

Duarte had a 3.6 defensive box plus/minus last season at Oregon, which means the Ducks were 3.6 points better per 100 possessions on defense when Duarte was on the floor compared to the average player. On top of that, the sharpshooter averaged 1.9 steals per game and posted the best steal percentage (3.4) in the PAC 12 last season after finishing in second in the 2019-20 campaign. 

Duarte’s defensive instincts, coupled with his shooting ability make him an intriguing prospect, especially for a contender. While his ceiling may not be as high since he is already 24, teams at the end of the lottery and in the mid-teens may feel that Duarte is a player that can fit in right away and play a significant role. 

As his stock rises, bettors may be wise to take the under on Duarte’s draft projection before it moves again.

Where do you think Duarte will go? Download the WynnBET app in New Jersey, Indiana or Colorado.