NBA Draft Lottery: Winners and Losers

Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA Draft Lottery is one of the strangest events in major American sports. On Tuesday, 14 representatives of NBA teams gathered in a locked room, stripped of all communication with the outside world and overseen by a major accounting firm. Potential franchise changing players like Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor were on the line. The fates of billion dollar franchises would be determined by the bounce of 14 ping pong balls. Seriously. Outside of the majority of the picks falling in their expected order, perhaps the most normal thing on Tuesday was Russell Westbrook’s outfit choice.

The ridiculous nature of the event also makes it one of the most captivating. There are draft lottery watch parties and t-shirts. Teams that have spent an entire year tanking (or numerous years in the case of the 76ers) can have their dreams crushed all because the wrong ping pong ball combination pops up. Given the somewhat random nature of the event, the draft lottery produces some unexpected results, so let’s take a look at the winners and losers of last night’s lottery.

The Winners

The majority of last night’s picks fell into their expected order. However, that doesn’t mean those teams can’t be winners.

For the first time since 2004, the team with the most combinations of ping pong balls actually managed to hold on to the first pick. The Minnesota Timberwolves will select No. 1 overall for the first time since they first participated in the draft in 1989. The Wolves will have their pick of the litter, allowing them to pair rising star Andrew Wiggins with either Towns or Okafor. Minnesota may not make many waves next season, but they’re developing a strong young core that should make them competitive in coming seasons.

The biggest winner on the night, though, was the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers entered the lottery with expectations of having the fourth pick in the draft and the potential to lose the pick to the 76ers if the balls failed them. Instead, Los Angeles’ representative and coach Byron Scott came away with the second pick and the ability to snag a big man to pair with last year’s first round pick, Julius Randle. Kobe Bryant made sure to let the world know the Lakers deserved this one:

The Losers

While the Philadelphia 76ers came away with their expected pick and will likely be able to grab their preferred selection in D’Angelo Russell at No. 3, Sixers fans have to be disappointed. Because of a series of trades, GM Sam Hinkie had the potential to land three lottery picks in what projects to be a rather deep draft. Instead, the ping pong balls betrayed the city of Philadelphia and left them with just one lottery selection. No worries, though, since the Sixers will have the chance to own four lottery picks in 2016 and the return of last year’s pick, Joel Embiid, should help the team progress next season.

One team that failed to receive their expected pick was the New York Knicks. The Knicks had their dreams of Towns or Okafor crushed as they fell to the fourth pick in the draft where they will likely be rewarded with Emmanuel Mudiay. That is, unless they decide to trade the pick. I think we can consider this karmic justice for James Dolan hiring Isiah Thomas to run a women’s basketball team.

The night’s final loser is going to be either Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor. Sure, one of them will get the chance to play next to Wiggins in Minnesota, but they’ll also be headed to the tundra instead of beautiful Los Angeles. I think we all know how this story ends.