'I have this belief that we're moving up': Pacers Assistant GM Kelly Krauskopf Positive About Outcome of NBA Draft Lottery
Pacers assistant general manager Kelly Krauskopf is hoping her positivity will lead to a positive result for the organization Tuesday night.
At the NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago, she is serving as the team's on-stage representative Tuesday night. General manager Chad Buchanan will be back in the drawing room.
"I just think that this is exciting because I feel like this is an opportunity that obviously we haven't been in (for) multiple years, in terms of having this chance of moving up to the position that's really going to put us in a great spot," Krauskopf said an interview posted on the team's Twitter account.
"I'm probably the most optimistic, glass is always half-full person. So I think when (team president) Kevin (Pritchard) and (owner) Herb Simon asked me to represent the team on the stage is because I have this belief that we're moving up. It's time. The law of averages are on our side. We're due. I have a great feeling about it."
The draft lottery will be made public beginning after 8:00 p.m. ET Tuesday on ESPN. The private drawing will be completed in a back room before then.
The Pacers (25-57) finished with the fifth-worst record in the NBA this past season so they have a 10.5 percent chance of securing the top overall pick for the first time in franchise history.
They have a 42.1 percent chance of landing inside the top four.
In addition to this pick, which could be one through nine, the Pacers also have the draft rights to picks 31 and 58.
Krauskopf took part in one draft lottery before — back in 2000 prior to the first year of the Indiana Fever franchise in the WNBA. It was the expansion draft and they won it, then selected Gordana Grubin as the first player in team history in the expansion draft.
Krauskopf started in her role with the Pacers on Jan. 1, 2019.
More Pacers Coverage
- NBA Releases Draft Lottery Team Representatives List. CLICK HERE.
- Watch Tyrese Haliburton give drivers the command to start their engines, then kiss the bricks after riding in two-seater with Mario Andretti prior to the IndyCar Grand Prix. CLICK HERE.
- Chris Durate, assistant coach Ronald Nored spending the week in Mexico to coach at Basketball Without Borders camp. CLICK HERE.
- Pacers hosted six prospects at their first pre-draft workout. CLICK HERE.
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