Tuesday night’s NBA Draft Lottery was an omen of bad things to come. While the Dallas Mavericks were able to keep their first-round pick, thanks in part to some strategic late-season tanking, they didn’t move up from their pre-lottery position despite having a better than three percent chance of doing so. It’s a tale as old as time.
Because they didn’t move up, Dallas will miss out on selecting teenage French sensation Victor Wembanyama, the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. The San Antonio Spurs, who won the draft lottery, now have the privilege of taking Wembanyama first overall.