PHOENIX SUNS

Suns win NBA Draft Lottery, will pick No. 1 in 2018 NBA Draft

May 15, 2018, 5:25 PM | Updated: May 21, 2018, 1:42 pm

(AP Photos)...

(AP Photos)

(AP Photos)

The Phoenix Suns entered Tuesday’s NBA Draft Lottery with the best odds to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and they left with just that.

The Suns will have the first pick in the NBA Draft for the first time in franchise history.

It is Phoenix’s highest selection in the draft since 1987 when the team selected Armen Gilliam with the second overall pick. Having picked fourth the past two years, the Suns have not had a top-three pick since that draft.

Experts peg two players at the top of this year’s draft class: Arizona’s Deandre Ayton and Real Madrid’s Luka Doncic.

Listed at 7-foot-1 and 250 pounds, Ayton’s athletic stature blows away anyone in his class.

As a freshman, he averaged 20.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks a game while shooting 61.2 percent from the field. Going back to the 1992-93 college basketball season, Ayton is the only freshman in the Sports-Reference database who posted those averages.

Ayton is one of the older freshmen in the process and will turn 20 years old in late July. He has expressed an interest in joining Phoenix, telling CBS Sports Radio that he could see “a little Shaq and Kobe 2.0” with Suns guard Devin Booker.

Doncic, who turned 19 in late February, has reached statistical achievements overseas that no other prospect his age has ever touched. In 62 games with Real Madrid, he’s putting up 14.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.

The Slovenian has been playing for the Spanish team since October and began competitive play in the beginning of September with the Slovenian national team in the EuroBasket tournament.

The head coach of Slovenia, of course, was new Suns head coach Igor Kokoskov, who led the team to an upset win of the entire tournament.

The Suns also pick at No. 16 in the first round and Nos. 31 and 59 in the second round.

1. Phoenix Suns

2. Sacramento Kings

3. Atlanta Hawks

4. Memphis Grizzlies

5. Dallas Mavericks

6. Orlando Magic

7. Chicago Bulls

8. Cleveland Cavaliers (via BKN)

9. New York Knicks

10. Philadelphia 76ers (via LAL)

11. Charlotte Hornets

12. Los Angeles Clippers (via DET)

13. Los Angeles Clippers

14. Denver Nuggets

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Phoenix Suns

Suns...

Kellan Olson

Rotation quibbles hang over Suns’ fight for postseason spot

The dueling forces for what direction the Phoenix Suns should go in the future are actively playing a role in their current season.

5 hours ago

The NBA All-Star game has a new format in 2025...

Associated Press

The big question going into NBA All-Star weekend: Will the new format work?

The league has for years pleaded with players to take the NBA All-Star Game more seriously. The latest solution is a radical one: a mini-tournament.

6 hours ago

Kevin Durant...

Alex Weiner

Suns’ Kevin Durant to return on Tuesday, Bradley Beal remains out

Kevin Durant will return to the Phoenix Suns' lineup on Tuesday against the Memphis Grizzlies after a three-game absence.

23 hours ago

Kevin Durant, Suns...

Kellan Olson

Suns’ Kevin Durant understands ‘microscope’ will be on him for deadline fallout

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant addressed the reports that the Phoenix Suns attempted to trade him before the trade deadline.

24 hours ago

ESPN's Brian Windhorst has the Suns as one of the five teams facing the most pressure post-NBA trad...

Tyler Drake

Windhorst: Suns among teams facing the most pressure post-NBA trade deadline

The Phoenix Suns are among a handful of teams facing an added amount of pressure following last week's NBA trade deadline.

1 day ago

Suns...

Kellan Olson

Shorthanded Suns hit wall offensively in loss to Nuggets

It was a steep uphill climb for the shorthanded Phoenix Suns on the second night of a back-to-back.

3 days ago

Suns win NBA Draft Lottery, will pick No. 1 in 2018 NBA Draft