Today, May 14th at 8:30 PM Eastern/7:30 PM Central, the NBA Draft will be held right here in Chicago.

Lottery Format Changes

https://www.nba.com/nba-draft-lottery-explainer

In 2019, the new NBA Lottery rules will take effect. Like other years, the teams not making the playoffs have a chance to gain the 1st pick in the draft with increasing probability the worse the record of the team in the past season. In the past, the percentages for the worst team in the NBA were much better in getting the top pick. In the new format, the worst team has an equal chance in getting the top pick as the 2nd and 3rd worst teams in the league. Here is the current breakdown:

  • Knicks – 14.0% (formerly 25%)
  • Suns – 14.0% (formerly 19.9%)
  • Cavaliers – 14.0% (formerly 15.6%)
  • Bulls – 12.5%
  • Hawks – 10.5%
  • Wizards – 9.0%
  • Mavericks – 6.0%
  • Pelicans – 6.0%
  • Grizzlies – 6.0%
  • Timberwolves – 3.0%
  • Lakers – 2.0%
  • Heat – 1.0%
  • Hornets – 1.0%
  • Kings – 1.0%

After the 1st 4 are ordered, then the remaining picks are based on the record order (reverse regular season).

The NBA makes this quite a show with current and former players or current management in attendance. The reactions are priceless as they open the envelopes or flip the cards for America to see.

Who Are The Lottery Players?

Every year the #1 selection is the big prize. However, in this year, there is one of those potential generational players at the top. Even after #1, there are a couple of very good players that will be excellent in the NBA. There is a clear cut Top 3 in this Draft.

  1. Zion Williamson, PF, Duke – If you missed all the Zion hype, then you probably aren’t reading my blog or any other sports content. Zion is truly a physical freak of nature – 6’7″, 280 lbs with all the quickness and vertical leap of a smaller player. He is not a great shooter, but his explosiveness, energy and electric smile make him a ready made star in the League. I, personally, love this guy, and I really hope he lives up to the billing. He will be the #1 Pick.
  2. JA Morant, PG, Murray State – Hopefully, you caught this guy in the NCAA tournament, but real hoop-heads know that JA may actually be a better pro than Zion. They were actually AAU teammates in high school, but since Morant is slightly built, he did not get the same acclaim. However, JA is a pure ball handler with great explosiveness to finish in the lane and he can shoot pretty well. He is an NBA point guard in this era 100%.
  3. RJ Barrett, SG/SF, Duke – RJ was Zion’s teammate and came into college with higher acclaim. RJ’s shooting ability is the best of the Top 3 guys and his ability to score a variety of ways make him NBA-ready. I’m not sure if RJ is as athletic as the other 2 guys at the top, and that translates on the defensive end. However, RJ’s ability to read the game and score will make the Lottery teams eager to get him.

Some of the Rest at the Top:

  • Coby White, PG, North Carolina – White is one of the fastest college players from end to end. Plus, his ability and willingness to shoot from deep were apparent all season long. He does not have the flash of a Morant, but he will be a good NBA prospect.
  • De’Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia – A more polished college player coming from the dogmatic Virginia program. Hunter’s versatility and superior defensive prowess make him a very valuable NBA prospect. He would be great on a contending team, but will be very solid for an emerging team, too.
  • Jarrett Culver, SF, Texas Tech – Culver has not scratched his potential. His length and ability to finish around the rim really make him a better pro than college player. His deep shooting is a weakness at this point, but Culver can defend at an NBA level now. So, he may be the eventual best player in this Draft.
  • Sekou Doumbouya, F, France – I know very little about this 6’9″ French pro born in Guinea. He will be the first foreign player selected. I would guess we will get a lot more info about this player in the coming weeks prior to the actual Draft.
  • Bol Bol, C, Oregon – Bol lost a ton of time in the season with an injury. The son of Manute Bol, and at 7’2″, a true center. Yet, Bol can shoot the ball making him a fit in the current stretch 4/5 NBA. I think he will drop due to the injury, but his talent is really has good as anyone else.

Hopefully, my squad, the Bulls will defy the odds and get up into the Top 3 for one of those guys.

Wegs

About the author

I'm a 49 year old, twice divorced guy with a 20 year old. The blog has morphed a bit lately. Not just sports or dating, social commentary and now some stories from my past experience.