The 2023 NBA Draft is going to be one of the most high-profile events in a while, thanks to what’s expected to be one of the most loaded groups at the top. That includes Victory Wenbanyama, the 7’5 “unicorn” big man that’s widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick.
The biggest question was which team would end up in that spot. The NBA Draft lottery occurred on Tuesday night before the start of the Western Conference Finals between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers. Due to the revamped lottery odds, the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, and Houston Rockers all had the best chance to get the No. pick at 14% each.
In the end, it was the Spurs that got the ping pong balls to go their way, landing the No. 1 overall pick and barring a shocking surprise, Wembanyama as a result. Charlotte got No. 2 and Portland, who came into the lottery with the 5th-best odds, at No. 3. Houston dropped down a spot to No. 4 while Detroit ended up being the biggest loser on the night. They went from tied for the best odds to getting the 5th pick overall.
Everything else went as projected from 6-14. That means the Dallas Mavericks will keep their pick at No. 10, while Orlando officially gets the No. 11 pick from the Chicago Bulls due to a previous trade.
Now that we know the draft order, it’s time for the mock NBA Draft season to start. Here are my way-too-early first-round projections over a month away from the actual draft.