NBA Draft Lottery: Winners and Losers After Shake Up in Top 5

The Oklahoma City Thunder have the No. 12 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the lottery confirmed on Tuesday, May 16. Oklahoma City had a 1.7% chance at the No. 1 overall selection, and an overwhelming 85.2% chance at the No. 12 pick.

The No. 12 pick has produced a handful of successful NBA players, including; Nick Collison, Thad Young, Steven Adams, Dario Šarić, Taurean Prince, Luke Kennard, PJ Washington, Tyrese Haliburton and most recently, Jalen Williams.

Due to the Spurs moving ahead of the Rockets in the lottery, the Thunder's second round pick will move from 35 to 50.

Outside of the top five picks, the 2023 draft lottery remained chalk, with teams who held the highest percentages to end up with picks 6-14 staying in place. Within the top five, two squads who entered the day with top three odds fell to picks four and five.

Winners

The San Antonio Spurs walked away from the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery as the night's biggest winner. After garnering the No. 1 overall selection, the Spurs will once again have the opportunity to select a franchise-altering big man with the top pick.

In the past, San Antonio has selected Hall of Fame centers David Robinson and Tim Duncan at No. 1, resulting in multiple championship victories for the Spurs. Many scouts believe that Wembanyama is an even more talented prospect than the aforementioned San Antonio greats, meaning that the Spurs could be in for another long run of success.

San Antonio was one of three teams with the top odds for the No. 1 overall pick.

WOJ says Wembanyama is “Maybe the greatest prospect in the history of team sports."

pic.twitter.com/0mWELxOwjk
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) May 16, 2023

The Charlotte Hornets had the fourth best odds in the draft entering the night, but will have the second overall selection after the ping pong balls fell their way on Tuesday night. After a lackluster season that saw LaMelo Ball miss most of the year with various injuries, the Hornets could use an injection of young talent.

Currently, Scoot Henderson of the G League Ignite is considered the widespread No. 2 prospect. Henderson has a much different style than the Hornets star guard, which could create a tremendous young backcourt duo in Charlotte. Brandon Miller, a talented freshman wing from Alabama, is also in the mix to be the second player selected in the 2023 draft.

For this reason, the Trail Blazers are a winner as well. Coming into the evening with the fifth-best odds, Portland will pick third in the 2023 draft, giving them the ability to select one of Miller or Henderson.

Miller would be a perfect fit with Damian Lillard, as his defensive prowess and playmaking ability could allow him to contribute immediately while he figures out how to score consistently at the next level.

Losers

The Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets both entered the lottery with the same odds as the Spurs to gain the No. 1 overall pick. Both squads fell out of the top three altogether, leaving fans to question if their season-long tanking efforts were worth it.

Thunder fans know this feeling all too well, as the team was awarded the No. 6 overall pick in 2021 a year after intentionally depleting its roster.

Houston will pick fourth with Detroit, who won a league-low 17 games in 2022-23, rounding out the top five. Twin brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson have been common selections at this range in NBA Mock Drafts, and it seems likely that at least Amen Thompson will end up with the Rockets or Pistons.

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