NBA Draft best bets: Keaton Wagler at 5? Darius Acuff at 6? 4 first-round predictions

Inside the Barclays Center on Tuesday night, dreams will be realized for this year’s ballyhooed class of college and international players as they walk the stage in the NBA Draft. Who will be the franchise faces of your favorite team? Where will they go?

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie has you covered on all the questions regarding this year’s draft, from who will go No. 1 to how the guards will get sorted out. From the betting perspective, here are some picks for Tuesday’s first round.

Keaton Wagler at No. 5 pick (+200, BetMGM)

The out-of-nowhere freshman sensation at Illinois plays like an unfazed 10-year NBA veteran. He’s long, an excellent distributor, willing dirty worker, displays creative subtlety and owns limitless range. Though comps to Steph Curry are an exaggeration, he has the potential to develop into a prolific 3-point scorer.

The Los Angeles Clippers hold the fifth pick and have Darius Garland at point guard. Wagler, however, brings versatility to the position — capable of running the show or splashing jumpers as the two-guard. Los Angeles also has a frontcourt need, and some have questioned Wagler’s overall athleticism — he didn’t record a single dunk with the Illini — but his plus two-way skillset and general smoothness will be tough to pass up.

Darius Acuff at No. 6 pick (+240, DraftKings)

A microwave oven always cooking on high, Acuff rains buckets with the accuracy of a gold-medal marksman. Last season, he averaged 23.5 points per game with Arkansas, shooting 44 percent from distance. His stellar exterior execution, rim-attacking proclivity, off-the-bounce blur and precise passes are why he arguably possesses the most potential long-term upside of any point in a deep guard class.

For a Brooklyn team in need of star power and scorers, he’s the anchor the franchise desperately desires. Yes, the Nets sank a top-10 pick in another floor general — Egor Dëmin — last year, but Acuff is a bucket-getter capable of elevating any down-in-the-dumps franchise.

Aday Mara at No. 9 pick (+650, BetMGM)

Dusty May to Dallas? Oh, how convenient. A reunification of May and Mara feels like a foregone conclusion in Big D.

For starters, the Mavericks have a glaring interior void. May’s obvious familiarity with the Spaniard, combined with everyone’s need out West to wall up Victor Wembanyama, make the 7-foot-3 rim protector a logical investment.

Last year with the national champs, Mara averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. Coordinated for his size, he also showcased considerable improvement as a passer. His outside game is still a work in progress, but he would provide an instant upgrade to a Dallas frontcourt lacking reliable personnel.

Morez Johnson at No. 12 pick (+215, DraftKings)

“No threat Chet” Holmgren reared his head again in this year’s NBA playoffs. The Oklahoma City Thunder’s mozzarella stick melted under the spotlight as Wembanyama and others manhandled him. As a result, OKC is in the market for a post enforcer. Hello, Morez.

Michigan’s feisty four-man made major strides in several key areas as a sophomore. In 40 games, he averaged 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Most noticeably, he greatly improved as an outside shooter, netting a respectable 34.3 percent from 3-point range. His around-the-rim toughness, hard-nosed grind and emerging versatility are exactly what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and friends require, especially if they go up against the Spurs again in the playoffs.