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Hasheem Thabeet 2009 NBA Draft Odds AND Analysis

Living in Connecticut and watching the Uconn Huskies, just about every game, we're really looking forward to see where Hasheem Thabeet ends up in the NBA Draft. Wherever he goes, he figures to make a major impact, immediately, if he can stay healthy. Odds say he'll be the 3rd overall pick, but as we've learned from past drafts in all sports, nothing is set in concrete. There's always surprises.

A perfect example of Thabeets impact can be seen by looking at the Big East tournament game between Uconn and Syracuse that went to several overtimes. Uconn hadn't trailed through the entire game and all the ovetimes, until Thabeet fouled out, at which point the Huskies fell apart and lost by a bunch. He's a game changing big man.

Standing at 7’3” and weighing in at 267 lbs, University of Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet could be good for what ails the Thunder.

While the experts say it is a stretch to compare Thabeet to Hakeem Olajuwon, they also say he is more like a Dikembe Mutombo—Thabeet is listed at +250 to be the third selection and like they say, “You can’t teach height.”

Averaging 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 steals a game last season for the Arizona State Sun Devils, shooting guard James Harden could be the way to go with the third pick and is also listed at +250 to be No. 3 overall.

Kobe and the Lakers hoisted the NBA Championship trophy a few weeks back, but that was the past, now teams have to look to the future, as the NBA Draft approaches.

By the way, the Lakers are listed at +225 at SPORTSBETTING.com to win back-to-back titles. Online sportsbooks are already seeing action on the Lakers to repeat, while bettors are also thinking the Cavaliers learned a lesson in their loss to Orlando, and betting volume has been coming in on them at odds of 4-1.

With an eye to next season, the Milwaukee Bucks dealt Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs for Bruce Bowen and Kurt Thomas (a complete steal for the Spurs by the way). The Bucks see themselves listed at +10,000 to win the 2009/10 NBA title while the Spurs are at +2000.

Come Thursday, the entire NBA will be thinking about next season and the future as the draft will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York.

If you’ve been following all the mock drafts, it seems almost certain that the Los Angeles Lakers’ wimpy roommates, the Los Angeles Clippers, will select Oklahoma Sooners power forward Blake Griffin with the first selection, although we’re thinking Griffin should pull a Steve Francis and refuse to play for the Clips.

After that things could go a number of different ways.

After the Memphis Grizzlies select second overall, the former Seattle Sonics, aka the Oklahoma City Thunder, make their selection.

Basketball is truly becoming a global game with the likes of Pau Gasol and Yao Ming and another non-American is receiving some hype going into the draft.

Spanish point-guard Ricky Rubio could be the third pick and if he is, he would pay out at +250 too.

The most likely scenario however, based on the odds, is that someone other than Rubio, Harden or Thabeet will go third overall as any other player (Field) would pay out at +150.

Everyone familiar with basketball has no doubt heard about the quality players that the University of North Carolina has churned out; after all, Michael Jordan is a Tar Heel alumnus.

Going into this year’s draft there are four UNC prospects; Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green.

Will all four get drafted (+500), three (+100), two (+140), one (+500) or none (+10,000)?

The NBA draft will allow the weak a chance to bolster their rosters and will be the last chance for hoops betting until the fall.

Check out SPORTSBETTING.com for all the NBA Draft prop betting options.