The race for consensus No. 1 overall NBA draft prospect Zion Williamson is on. But this tankathon will be different from that of past seasons.
This is the first year under the lottery reform rules passed in September 2017 -- more of an incremental step to deter blatant tanking than a complete overhaul. Every loss at the bottom of the standings is now less valuable.
Here's how the new system works, which teams are in the best position entering March, the traded picks to watch and more draft intrigue.
How the new NBA draft lottery works
The NBA now draws the top four picks through the lottery instead of the top three, with the teams' chances of a winning selection flattened.