2018 NBA Draft: Top Prospects and Pre-Lottery 1st-Round Order

Morgan Freeman's character in the movie The Shawshank Redemption, Red, said "hope is a dangerous thing," and that could be applied to fans of NBA teams hoping for the first overall pick heading into the draft lottery reveal Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. 

Ultimately, most teams will be left out in the cold as their chances of landing that coveted No. 1 pick go up in smoke when their name is called early on lottery night (the teams picking early in the draft are revealed at the end). It's an especially tough loss for those fans this year, as the top of the draft is stacked with excellent talent.

Here's a look at all the NBA draft lottery odds, per NBA.com, as well as a top-30 big board and a quick breakdown of the first four prospects.

NBA Draft Big Board: Top 30 Prospects

1. Arizona C Deandre Ayton

2. Real Madrid PG/SG Luka Doncic

3. Duke F/C Marvin Bagley III

4. Michigan State F/C Jaren Jackson Jr.

5. Missouri SF/PF Michael Porter Jr.

6. Duke C Wendell Carter Jr.

7. Villanova SF Mikal Bridges

8. Texas C Mohamed Bamba

9. Oklahoma PG Trae Young

10. Alabama PG/SG Collin Sexton

11. Texas A&M F Robert Williams

12. Michigan State SF/PF Miles Bridges

13. Texas Tech G/F Zhaire Smith

14. Kentucky SF/PF Kevin Knox

15. Villanova PG Jalen Brunson

16. Missouri C Jontay Porter

17. Kentucky PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

18. Miami SG Lonnie Walker

19. Boise State SF Chandler Hutchison

20. Cedevita Zagreb SF Dzanan Musa

21. USA C Mitchell Robinson

22. Creighton SG Khyri Thomas

23. Kentucky SF/PF Kevin Knox

24. USC PG/SG De'Anthony Melton

25. UCLA PG Aaron Holiday

26. Duke SG Gary Trent Jr.

27. Villanova F/C Omari Spellman

28. Ohio State SF/PF Keita Bates-Diop

29. Oregon F Troy Brown Jr.

30. IMG PG Anfernee Simons

NBA Draft Lottery Odds for Top 3 and No. 1 Picks

1. Phoenix Suns: Top-three pick (64.2 percent), No. 1 pick (25.0 percent)

2. Memphis Grizzlies: Top-three pick (55.8 percent), No. 1 pick (19.9 percent)

3. Dallas Mavericks: Top-three pick (42.5 percent), No. 1 pick (13.8 percent)

4. Atlanta Hawks: Top-three pick (42.4 percent), No. 1 pick (13.7 percent)

5. Orlando Magic: Top-three pick (29.1 percent), No. 1 pick (8.8 percent)

6. Chicago Bulls: Top-three pick (18.3 percent), No. 1 pick (5.3 percent)

7. Sacramento Kings: Top-three pick (18.3 percent), No. 1 pick (5.3 percent)

8. Cleveland Cavaliers: Top-three pick (10.0 percent), No. 1 pick (2.8 percent)

9. New York Knicks: Top-three pick (6.1 percent), No. 1 pick (1.7 percent)

10. Los Angeles Lakers (conveys to Philadelphia 76ers if top pick; conveys to Boston Celtics if No. 2 or 3 pick): No. 1 pick (1.1 percent), Nos. 2 or 3 pick (2.9 percent)

11. Charlotte Hornets: Top-three pick (2.9 percent), No. 1 pick (0.8 percent)

12. *Detroit Pistons: Top-three pick (2.5 percent), No. 1 pick (0.7 percent)

13. Los Angeles Clippers: Top-three pick (2.2 percent), No. 1 pick (0.6 percent)

14. Denver Nuggets: Top-three pick (1.8 percent), No. 1 pick (0.5 percent)

* reverts to the Clippers if not in the top four 

Top-4 Breakdown

1. Arizona C Deandre Ayton

A 7'1" big man who posted 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game in his one season at Arizona, Deandre Ayton shouldn't be waiting long to hear his name called on draft night June 21.

In fact, it's hard seeing him fall past the top two because he has the potential to be the next great NBA center thanks to his offensive skill set and physical attributes (the superathletic Ayton is also 250 pounds).

Unless a team with an established center down low lands the No. 1 pick (e.g. the Memphis Grizzlies), look for Ayton to go first overall. In particular, he'd be a great match with the Phoenix Suns, who need a center to partner with its young group of wings.

2. Real Madrid PG/SG Luka Doncic

Real Madrid guard Luka Doncic may present the biggest threat to Ayton's chances of going No. 1 overall. The talented 19-year-old has been lighting up the top Spanish professional league (Liga ACB) this year, to the tune of 12.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. Doncic's team is also on top of the league table with a fantastic 30-3 record.

If Doncic doesn't go No. 1, don't expect him to fall any further than No. 3 or No. 4, depending on the teams picking there. Some teams that may pick high have bigger needs in the frontcourt than the backcourt (e.g. the Dallas Mavericks), but anyone could use a player who could be the NBA's next triple-double machine.

3. Duke F/C Marvin Bagley III

Marvin Bagley III put up similar numbers to Deandre Ayton (in 33 games, the Duke forward posted 21.0 points and 11.1 rebounds a game). However, the reason Ayton is a bit higher is that he is two inches taller and 16 pounds heavier than Bagley, so he'll be tougher to handle down low at the next level.

That being said, Bagley could be a perennial All-Star. He proved to be an efficient scorer by making 61.4 percent of his shots, in addition to converting on 39.7 percent of his three-point attempts.

Bagley would be a great fit for teams who could pick high, with the Mavericks seeming like the best fit thanks to their scoring and rebounding needs.

4. Michigan State F/C Jaren Jackson Jr.

Jaren Jackson Jr. didn't play a ton of minutes in his one year at Michigan State, but the 6'11" big made the most of his court time. In 21.8 minutes per contest, Jackson registered 10.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. 

As NBADraft.net noted, Jackson fits the mold for an ideal big man in today's NBA. He's versatile on both ends of the court thanks to his three-point jumper (39.6 percent) and an ability to defend multiple positions due to his excellent length (7'4" wingspan). Jackson also won't turn 19 years old until September, which makes his potential that much more intriguing given his younger age.

Jackson's floor in this draft is likely in the No. 5 range given how many teams near the top could use another big man.