CHICAGO — After a generational class brought on a season of embarrassing tanking, the top of the draft order is finally set. The NBA held its draft lottery Sunday to order the top half of the teams.
Here is a first look at how those selections could play out next month at Barclays Center.
Led the NCAA in scoring and has the kind of star potential to do the same in the NBA for the Wizards as the linchpin of their rebuild, inheriting the team from Anthony Davis and Trae Young.
Cramping, availability issues and decreased explosion raised eyebrows. He says creatine brought on the cramps. Now teams await his medicals and interviews, and want to see how he looks at the combine, but Utah won’t overthink this.
A lack of verticality will have teams eyeing his combine measurements, but he’s the ultimate winner and had a historic season for Duke. Memphis loves to draft productive collegians, and Boozer is the apex of that.
The skywalker saw his season cut short at UNC. But if he develops a 3-point shot, he can grow into the best player in a great class and a legit star for the Bulls.
A dogged two-way player who had a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and plays both ends of the floor. The speedy Flemings will inject youth and athleticism for the Clippers, who got their best-case scenario in landing this pick from the Pacers.
Shoots like a two-guard and maps the court like a lead playmaker. Yes, his modest athleticism and lack of downhill juice are a worry next to Egor Demin, but the Nets go with the best available player.
The ball-dominant guard led the SEC in scoring and assists. His defense is a glaring question that could lead Brooklyn to hesitate, scarred by the Cam Thomas experience. The Kings, however, are known to like him.
With an up-and-down season at Louisville and back issues, Brown — who’d come into the year as a projected top 5 pick — has to show a lot at the combine, but could be a nice young piece for a Hawks team in need of a pure point post-Young.
He’s a versatile and well-rounded player who can excel on or off the ball and fit anywhere next to Kyrie Irving and play off Cooper Flagg.
After the run on guards, taking an upside swing on a gifted developmental player here seems like a worthy gamble for a Bucks team that could be in full-on rebuild in a post-Giannis era.
Benefited greatly from coming back for his sophomore season. He’ll benefit again from serving as Stephen Curry’s understudy.
Big and skilled. And old. He’ll be 24 before his rookie season even starts, so he’ll be expected to come in and contribute immediately — exactly the kind of rookie the champion Thunder could use.
The Mexican teen playing in New Zealand is the top international in this class. He’s a prospect who can boost his stock in combine workouts this week in Chicago. But as it stands, he’d be a nice get for the Heat here.
The ultimate X factor. He played just four games this season, a year out from a torn ACL. But with the return to big-boy basketball and burly centers, Quaintance brings that element for Charlotte.
