After reviewing this year’s draft prospects and evaluating teams’ needs, this looks like the biggest NBA Lottery since 2003.
Not all NBA Drafts are created equal. That statement seems self-explanatory in basketball, the professional sport with the strongest correlation between superstar talent and team success. But with the NBA’s emphasis on individual greatness, certain drafts carry far greater immediate and long-term significance for franchises, front offices, passionate fans, and the league’s marketability than others.
In 2013, for example, there were no surefire future All-Stars on the board. Top pick Anthony Bennett is now out of the league, while the highest upside players from that draft (Giannis Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert) were taken with the 15th and 27th picks.