CHICAGO, Ill. – It’ll be a new era in New Orleans.
Tuesday, despite having just a six-percent chance of doing so, the New Orleans Pelicans win the NBA Draft lottery – earning the No. 1 pick in next month’s NBA Draft. This year’s lottery, held in Chicago, was one of the most anticipated in years – due to the fact that Zion Williamson, the most-hyped hoopster since LeBron James, is expected to be drafted number one overall.
In his lone season at Duke, Williamson was the biggest draw men’s college basketball saw in years. At 18 years old and listed at 6 feet, 7 inches tall and 285 pounds, Williamson was a human highlight reel — not just with his explosive dunks but with his all-around game.
The 14 teams that missed the playoffs all had a chance at the coveted No. 1 spot.
Here’s the 2019 NBA Draft order with the odds of landing the number one pick in parenthesis:
- New Orleans Pelicans (6%)
- Memphis Grizzlies (6%)
- New York Knicks (14%)
- Los Angeles Lakers (2%)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (14%)
- Phoenix Suns (14%)
- Chicago Bulls (12.5%)
- Atlanta Hawks (10.5%)
- Washington Wizards (9%)
- Atlanta Hawks via Dallas Mavericks (6%)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (3%)
- Charlotte Hornets (1%)
- Miami Heat (1%)
- Boston Celtics via Sacramento Kings (1%)
The rest of the first round (15-30) and the entire second round of the draft are determined in reverse order of regular season record. In 2018, Phoenix won the lottery and took DeAndre Ayton with the No. 1 pick.
This year’s NBA draft is June 20th.