What place teams got the #1 lotto pick?

[Fabbs]

Worst record = most lotto balls allotted.
However, team with most lotto balls has not always = #1 pick.

Anyone got the stats for each year on which place team got #1, #2 etc?

I think almost all years the worst record team did not get the #1 pick.

[JamStone]

Interesting question, so I looked up the last 10 NBA drafts.

Team with the worst record / Where they drafted and who they drafted / Team that got the no. overall pick and their record / Who they drafted

1996 Vancouver / 3rd pick Shareef Abdur-Rahim / Philly, second worst record / Iverson
1997 Vancouver / 4th pick Antonio Daniels / San Antonio, third worst record / Duncan
1998 Denver / 3rd pick Raef Lafrentz / Clippers, third worst record / Olowokandi
1999 Vancouver / 2nd pick Steve Francis / Chcigo, third worst record / Elton Brand
2000 Clippers / 3rd pick Darius Miles / New Jersey, 7th worst record / Kenyon Martin
2001 Chicago / 4th pick Eddy Curry / Washington, 3rd worst record / Kwame Brown
2002 Chicago and Golden State / 2nd, 3rd picks, Jason Williams, Mike Dunleavy / Houston, 5th worst record / Yao Ming
2003 Cleveland, Denver / 1st, 3rd picks, LeBron, Carmelo
2004 Orlando / 1st pick, Dwight Howard
2005 Atlanta / 2nd pick, Marvin Williams / Milwaukee, 6th worst record / Andrew Bogut
2006 Portland / 2nd pick, LaMarcus Aldridge / Toronto, 5th worst record / Andrea Bargnani



So, over the last 10 years, only Cleveland and Orlando were able to get the no. 1 overall pick with the worst record in the league. Seems like having the third worst record has been a little lucky. And, looks like Vancouver got screwed out of Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan, and Elton Brand ... sucks for them.

[Fabbs]

[Fabbs]

I thought Boston had the most chances in Tim Duncans draft year?

[Fromthebleachers]

" After failing to earn the National Basketball Association's No. 1 draft pick as a result of his team dropping to the bottom of the standing this season, the Celtics' new coach, RICK PITINO, said Sunday that he would try to trade up for the right to select Wake Forest's TIM DUNCAN.

Pitino said he called the Spurs five minutes after San Antonio won the N.B.A.'s draft lottery, letting them know he was interested should they consider trading the top pick. The Celtics, who had the best chance at the No. 1 selection by virtue of their 15-67 record, wound up with the third pick. "

[JamStone]

Vancouver was 14-68
Boston was 15-67

http://www.basketball-reference.com/.../NBA_1997.html


I think Vancouver was not yet eligible for a top 3 lottery pick yet as still a new franchise.

[101A]

Boston was also holding someone else's "balls" in the lottery that year via trade. Odds were MUCH in there favor.

Oh well.