On Tuesday, May 16th, 2023 the National Basketball Association draft lottery day has finally arrived, and the NBA is about to find out which franchise will possess the number one overall draft pick that will enable them the chance to select Victor Wembanyama in next month’s 2023 NBA Draft.
The NBA Draft Lottery Process
The 2023 NBA draft lottery will be held on Tuesday night in Chicago, Illinois where 14 – NBA franchises will ultimately have a chance to win the number 1 overall draft selection for the 2023 NBA Draft which will be held on June 22nd, 2023. The Detroit Pistons, the Houston Rockets, and the San Antonio Spurs all have the best possibility of winning the number one overall draft pick at 14 % each.
The NBA draft lottery revolves around 14 ping – pong balls going into a machine, and the 1st – four balls that come out will be matched to the predestined NBA teams that are assigned to them determining the order of the first several picks of this year’s 2023 NBA Draft this upcoming June.
The results from Tuesday night’s NBA draft lottery will be nationally broadcasted on ESPN even though the official National Basketball Association draft lottery itself actually occurs about an hour before air time in a secured room.
Each NBA franchise will have one representative in the room as well as some league officials, lottery observers, and some major sports media outlets will also be in the set room, but no one will be allowed to leave the room or communicate with anyone else until the results are eventually displayed on tv to the general public.
The NBA draft lottery originated way back in 1985. Throughout the first 5 – years, the NBA draft lottery teams (7 in 1985 – 1988, and 9 in 1989) all had an the same or an equal chance of winning the number one overall pick.
Odds started to be weighted way back in the year of 1990. During those 33 – years, the NBA franchise with the best odds of winning the number one pick only prevailed to go on and get it just 11 – times, or 33.3 %, but the NBA team holding (or tied for) the best odds entering the NBA draft lottery won the number 1 pick 7 – times over the course of last 8 – years.
Victor Wembanyama
The now 19 – year – old Wembanyama just so happens to be a 7 – foot 3 – inch power forward / center that can do it all on the hardwood. The young phenom from France is just now finishing up his 3rd – professional basketball season overseas, and he has been the consensus number – 1 2023 NBA draft pick for quite some time now.
Victor Wembanyama has the overall size of a center, the shooting touch of a wing player, and the passing ability as well as the ball handling skills of a point guard too. He is predicted to be the best number one overall draft pick entering the NBA in quite a long time.
Victor Wembanyama’s Basketball Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards
- Pro A Champion (2022)
- LNB All – Star Game MVP Award Winner (2022)
- 2 – Time LNB All – Star Selection (2021, 2022)
- 2 – Time Pro – A Best Young Player Award Winner (2021, 2022)
Sources:
The Associated Press News Services. “Draft Lottery day arrives, with the NBA about to learn where Wembanyama is going”. The Associated Press. Tuesday, May 16, 2023.
Basketball Reference News Services. “Victor Wembanyama”. Basketball Reference. Tuesday, May 16, 2023.