ducks
05-26-2004, 08:56 PM
Orlando, Chicago have best chances at top pick in NBA Draft
May 24, 2004
SECAUCUS, United States (AFP) - Orlando and Chicago, this season's worst National Basketball Association teams, will have the best chance at claiming the first choice of new talent in Wednesday's NBA Draft Lottery here.
Orlando finished a league-worst 21-61 and so will have the most chances among the 13 teams in the weighted drawing to determine who picks first in the June 24 NBA Draft.
The Chicago Bulls , who have struggled to rebuild since Michael Jordan's championship run of six titles in eight years ended in 1998, have the second-best chance at landing the top spot after a 23-59 season.
Washington, at 25-57, will have the third-best chance followed in descending order by Atlanta, the Los Angeles Clippers , Phoenix, Philadelphia, Toronto, Cleveland, Golden State, Seattle, Portland and Utah.
Emeka Okafor, a power forward who led the University of Connecticut to the American collegiate crown this year as a junior, is a top candidate to be taken first overall. So is high school star Dwight Howard.
Many international and prep prospects are expected to be selected in the first round, but the top pick might lack the instant impact of such picks as LeBron James by Cleveland last year or China's Yao Ming by Houston in 2002.
"It looks like eight or nine Europeans and internationals and eight or nine high schoolers will go in the first round," Portland general manager John Nash told the Chicago Tribune. "Many of them will wind up riding the pine on an NBA bench for a couple of years, but that is the reality of the draft these days."
sports.yahoo.com/nba/news...&type=lgns (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_y...v=afp&type=lgns)
May 24, 2004
SECAUCUS, United States (AFP) - Orlando and Chicago, this season's worst National Basketball Association teams, will have the best chance at claiming the first choice of new talent in Wednesday's NBA Draft Lottery here.
Orlando finished a league-worst 21-61 and so will have the most chances among the 13 teams in the weighted drawing to determine who picks first in the June 24 NBA Draft.
The Chicago Bulls , who have struggled to rebuild since Michael Jordan's championship run of six titles in eight years ended in 1998, have the second-best chance at landing the top spot after a 23-59 season.
Washington, at 25-57, will have the third-best chance followed in descending order by Atlanta, the Los Angeles Clippers , Phoenix, Philadelphia, Toronto, Cleveland, Golden State, Seattle, Portland and Utah.
Emeka Okafor, a power forward who led the University of Connecticut to the American collegiate crown this year as a junior, is a top candidate to be taken first overall. So is high school star Dwight Howard.
Many international and prep prospects are expected to be selected in the first round, but the top pick might lack the instant impact of such picks as LeBron James by Cleveland last year or China's Yao Ming by Houston in 2002.
"It looks like eight or nine Europeans and internationals and eight or nine high schoolers will go in the first round," Portland general manager John Nash told the Chicago Tribune. "Many of them will wind up riding the pine on an NBA bench for a couple of years, but that is the reality of the draft these days."
sports.yahoo.com/nba/news...&type=lgns (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_y...v=afp&type=lgns)