NBA Draft: The Teams Most In Need Of Lottery Luck

For quite some time now, the 2023 NBA Draft has been regarded as a historic one. The biggest reason behind this praise is the prospect slated to be selected first overall: Victor Wembanyana.

The 7-foot-5 big man stretches the bounds of what a human, much less a basketball player, is capable of. For one, the coordination he possesses in his daunting frame is absurd. The Frenchman can gracefully glide across the court to reject shots like no other. Offensively, he flaunts a handle package and shooting prowess reminiscent of a guard.

This year’s tank battle has received extra publicity as the “Wembanyana sweepstakes”. On Tuesday night, a series of ping pong balls will decide which franchise will forever be altered by the 19-year-old sensation.

Each teams lottery chances are listed on Tankathon, and here we can see that Detroit, Houston, and San Antonio are tied for the highest chance at the top pick with 14%. Charlotte, Portland, and Orlando don’t fall far behind.

Team Most In Need Of Wembanyana: Houston Rockets

In the post-James Harden years, the Rockets have had quite some trouble finding success. They have some good young pieces - Jalen Green has all the talent in the world - but they can’t seem to put it all together. They, more than any other team, lack infrastructure. Frankly, they’ve been an unserious franchise since the departure of The Beard.

They’ve brought in coach Ime Udoka to help spark a change in culture, but more is needed. Not only would Wembanyama headline a fearsome young core in Houston, but he’d shine a light on the franchise, bringing them back to relevancy. He’d help hold his teammates accountable, and save the team residing in the United States’ fourth largest city from becoming the laughing stock of the NBA.

Team Most In Need Of A Leap To The Top-Four: Dallas Mavericks

Traveling across the state of Texas, we visit Mark Cuban’s Mavericks. Fresh off missing the play-in game, the franchise is in dire need of upgrades to keep generational superstar Luka Doncic and star sidekick Kyrie Irving at peace.

They currently are projected to receive the 10th overall pick, and have a 13.9% chance to snag a spot in the top -our. While a non-Wembanyana/Henderson rookie likely isn’t the ideal solution to Dallas’ problems, it is to another organization. The value this pick would hold as the centerpiece of a trade package could potentially save the next decade of Dallas Mavericks basketball.

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