The 2023 NBA Draft is the most anticipated draft since 2003, when the Cleveland Cavaliers selected LeBron James with the 1st overall pick. Victor Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 French phenomenon, is the best prospect to hit the NBA since James, and he is given a generational talent that can change the direction of the San Antonio Spurs, who landed on the 1st pick on Tuesday. .
NBA draft lottery
1. San Antonio Spurs
2. Charlotte Hornets
3. Portland Trail Blazers
4. Houston Rockets
5. Detroit Pistons
6. Orlando Magic
7. Indiana Packers
8. Washington Wizards
9. Utah Jazz
10. Dallas Mavericks
11. Orlando Magic
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
13. Toronto Raptors
14. New Orleans Pelicans
How the NBA draft lottery works
The draft lottery results were broadcast live with NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum announcing the draft lottery in order of the sealed envelopes. Before the broadcast, the actual lottery to determine picks 1 through 4 is held in a separate room with NBA officials and representatives from participating teams, select media and the Ernst & Young accounting firm that oversees the drawings.
For the actual lottery, 14 pingpong balls are thrown into a lottery machine, and a league representative randomly selects four balls to reveal a combination of four numbers. There are 1,001 possible combinations, and 1,000 of these combinations are assigned to the 14 participating lottery teams. If the same team combination is found more than once, the score is discarded and another four-ball combination is drawn.
After the first four picks are decided, the remaining picks are ranked in reverse order based on win-loss record.
Odds of picking number 1
The 14 teams that didn’t make the playoffs have the No. 1 seed based on their regular season record. Below are the odds for each team in the draft lottery and how they finished the regular season. The teams with the worst records are placed at the top of the lottery.
1. Detroit Pistons; 14%, 140 combinations
2. Houston Rockets; 14%, 140 combinations
3. San Antonio Spurs: 14%, 140 combinations
4. Charlotte Hornets: 12.5%, 125 combinations
5. Portland Trail Blazers 10.5%, 105 combined
6. Orlando Magic: 9%, 90 combinations
7. Indiana Pacers: 7.5%, 75 combinations
8. Washington Wizards: 6%, 60 combinations
9. Utah Jazz: 4.5%, 45 combinations
10. Dallas Mavericks: 3%, 30 combinations
11. Orlando Magic (via Chicago Bulls) 2%, 20 combinations
12. Oklahoma City Thunder; 1.5%, 15 combinations
13. Toronto Raptors 1%, 10 combinations
14. New Orleans Pelicans: 0.5%, 5 combinations
Who is Victor Wembaniyama?
The 7-foot-4 center currently plays for the Metropolitans 92 in France’s Beticlique Elite League and leads all players in points (21.8), rebounds (10.3) and blocks (3.1) per game. Wembanyama is comfortable on the ball as a defender, can shoot from deep and can He does things on the court that no other player in the world can do right now. Wembanyama’s NBA comparisons are a mix between Kevin Durant and Rudy Gobert in terms of shooting mechanics and the way he alters shots on defense.
Other players are projected at the top of the NBA draft
Scott Henderson
Henderson is a 6-3 point guard who is the best guard in the draft. He spent two seasons with the G League Ignite, and at just 19 years old, dominated the competition, sometimes going up against players twice his age. Henderson averaged 16.5 points and 6.5 assists last season and impressed every NBA team scout and executive in the arena when he faced Wembanyama in October.
Brandon Miller
Miller, a 6-9 winger, was named the SEC Player of the Year and the SEC Offensive Player of the Year in one season at Alabama. He averaged 18.8 points per game and 8.2 rebounds on 38.4% from 3-point range on 7 attempts per game. Miller’s intangibles on the court are off the charts with his length, skill and defensive versatility, but off the court is a big deal. Both Henderson and Miller are potential No. 2 picks, depending on which team they pick Tuesday night.
Amen Thompson
Thompson averaged 16.4 points, 5.9 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game last season with Overtime Elite and is one of the most athletic guards in this draft class with his transition and first step on the wing. The 6-7 guard outshines his twin brother, Aussar, as a primary ball handler and is more fluid in his decision-making when going downhill.
Aussar Thompson
Ausar is a tenacious defender who guards all positions on the perimeter and is the best shooting guard in this draft class. Thompson averaged 16.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in the Overtime Elite season, and although his 3-point jump shot is an area for growth, he showed improvement in his final season with OTE. Aussar is comfortable playing on and off the ball, but is more comfortable on the wing, playing alongside his brother throughout his career.
NBA draft date, time and location
The NBA draft will take place on June 22 at 8 pm ET on ESPN from the Barclays Center in New York.