Fansided

Most Shocking NBA Lottery shakeups of all-time

By Cody Williams

Basketball: NBA Draft Lottery: NBA Commissioner David Stern holding up the envelope with the number one pick in the draft at Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Number one pick goes to the New York Knicks.New York, NY 5/12/1985CREDIT: George Tiedemann (Photo by George Tiedemann /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)(Set Number: X31488 TK1 R1 F8 )
Basketball: NBA Draft Lottery: NBA Commissioner David Stern holding up the envelope with the number one pick in the draft at Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Number one pick goes to the New York Knicks.New York, NY 5/12/1985CREDIT: George Tiedemann (Photo by George Tiedemann /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)(Set Number: X31488 TK1 R1 F8 ) /
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5 Nov 2000: Lamar Odom #7 of the Los Angeles Clippers looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers defeated the Clippers 108-103. NOTE TO USER: It is expressly understood that the only rights Allsport are offering to license in this Photograph are one-time, non-exclusive editorial rights. No advertising or commercial uses of any kind may be made of Allsport photos. User acknowledges that it is aware that Allsport is an editorial sports agency and that NO RELEASES OF ANY TYPE ARE OBTAINED from the subjects contained in the photographs.Mandatory Credit: Jeff Gross /Allsport
5 Nov 2000: Lamar Odom #7 of the Los Angeles Clippers looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers defeated the Clippers 108-103. NOTE TO USER: It is expressly understood that the only rights Allsport are offering to license in this Photograph are one-time, non-exclusive editorial rights. No advertising or commercial uses of any kind may be made of Allsport photos. User acknowledges that it is aware that Allsport is an editorial sports agency and that NO RELEASES OF ANY TYPE ARE OBTAINED from the subjects contained in the photographs.Mandatory Credit: Jeff Gross /Allsport /

23. Clippers Take Lamar Odom at No. 4 (1999)

Though not everyone panned out exactly as panned for many of the top picks, the 1999 NBA Draft was pretty lauded heading into the NBA Lottery. Elton Brand was the clear top overall pick and there were players like Baron Davis, Steve Francis, Richard Hamilton, Wally Szczerbiak, and many more that were likely to lead the way in the lottery. However, there were also players with big question marks and Lamar Odom led the way in that regard.

Coming out of his one year at Rhode Island, Odom was obviously talented, but also had obvious issues with maturity and definite character concerns. So when the Los Angeles Clippers had gotten the No. 4 overall pick in the draft with players like Hamilton and Szczerbiak (and even Shawn Marion for that matter) still on the board when they were making their selection, Odom seemed like too big of a risk for a franchise mired in misfortune.

However, they shocked everyone by, well, being themselves and taking Odom. While Odom showed talent with the Clippers, he was a problem for most of that time and ultimately didn’t really find his niche until joining the Lakers some years later.

Next: No. 22 Chris Washburn

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