Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes: How to watch the NBA Draft Lottery
May 16, 2023, 10:47 AM
Victor Wembanyama of Metropolitains 92 reacts during the Betclic Elite match between Metropolitans 92 and LDLC Asvel at Salle Marcel Cerdan on January 09, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)
(Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)
Draft Lottery day has arrived, and the NBA is about to learn which team will win the chance to select Victor Wembanyama next month.
The lottery will be held Tuesday night in Chicago, where 14 teams will have a chance to win the No. 1 pick for the June 22 draft. Detroit, Houston and San Antonio all have the best chance of winning, at 14% apiece.
The lottery involves 14 ping-pong balls going into a machine, and the first four balls that come out will be matched to predetermined combinations assigned to each team.
When is the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery?
At 5 p.m. MST, just before Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets, fans can tune into ESPN to see where the lottery balls fall.
What to know about the NBA Draft Lottery
Results will be aired on ESPN, though the lottery itself takes place about an hour before in a secure room. Each team will have a representative in the room, and league officials, lottery observers and some reporters will also be present — but none will be allowed to leave the room or communicate with anyone until the results are shown on television.
The prize: Wembanyama is a 7-foot-3, 19-year-old phenom from France who is wrapping up his third professional season there and has been the consensus top pick for months. He has the height of a center, the shooting touch of a wing and the passing ability of a point guard.
Do the Suns have a draft pick in 2023?
The Suns traded their first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets as part of the Kevin Durant trade. That pick sits at No. 21.
Phoenix still has a second-round choice at 52nd overall, which will not be impacted by the lottery.
Lottery odds to win
Detroit > 14.00%
Houston >14.00%
San Antonio > 14.00%
Charlotte > 12.50%
Portland > 10.50%
Orlando > 9.00%
Indiana > 6.80%
Washington > 6.70%
Utah > 4.50%
Dallas* > 3.00% (pick could convey to New York if not top-10)
Chicago** > 1.80% (pick could convey to Orlando if not top-4)
Oklahoma City > 1.70%
Toronto > 1.00%
New Orleans > 0.50%
Why are there only 58 draft picks in 2023?
The 30-team league penalized the Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers for free-agent tampering violations by taking away second-round picks.
The Bulls were found to have illegally contacted point guard Lonzo Ball two summers ago, while the Sixers broke rules pursuing forward P.J. Tucker and wing Danuel House Jr. this past offseason.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
