The order of the top-3 picks in the 2022 NBA Draft is "increasingly firm" hours before it begins on Thursday evening with Jabari Smith going to the Orlando Magic at No. 1, Chet Holmgren to the Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 2 and Paolo Banchero to the Houston Rockets at No. 3.

Smith has been consistently connected to the Magic at No. 1 since they won the lottery in May. But Banchero surged past Smith to emerge Thursday morning as the consensus betting favorite for the No. 1 pick, before sportsbooks removed odds from their boards.

"It's the weirdest draft market I think I've ever booked," Eric Fenstermaker, a veteran Nevada bookmaker, told ESPN's David Purdum on Wednesday.

Most draft observers believe the first uncertainity will come with the Sacramento Kings selecting at No. 4 as they could move out of the selection.