2023 NBA Draft lottery who It takes place on TuesdayIt will be remembered as the “Wimbanyama lottery”, as French phenom Victor Wimpanyama is universally projected to be the No. 1 pick overall in the June draft. At 7-foot-2 with tight handles and a smooth shot, Wembanyama boasts an insane combination of size and athleticism, and as a result drools major league executives. He also caught the attention of some of the league’s best players.
“Everyone has been a unicorn these past few years, however [Wembanyama] More like an alien.” Lakers forward LeBron James said Wimpanyama. “Nobody has ever seen anyone so tall as him but he’s as agile and agile as he is on the ground. At 7-4, 7-5, 7-3, whatever the case, his ability to put the ball on the ground, shoot to jump from the post , step 3s, catch and catch 3s, drop shots, he’s definitely a generational talent.”
Wembanyama would provide massive and immediate support – both on and off the floor – to any organization able to get him, which is why every squad would love to land him. But, while Wimpanyama would be a welcome addition to any team, some potential destinations expect it to be better than others. Here’s a ranking of each lottery team based on Wimpanyama’s fit with the franchise, from worst to first.
* The number in parentheses after each team is that team’s percentage chance of winning a draft lottery.
14. Dallas Mavericks (3%): Wembanyama doesn’t need to start his career having to deal with constant drama in Dallas. Plus, playing alongside a very dominant point guard in Luka Doncic, and possibly another player in Kyrie Irving, might not have been the best in Wemby’s early development. It will be more suitable in a situation where it is safe to get ample touches right from the jump.
13- Washington Wizards (6.7%)Washington doesn’t have a solid history of developing young talent, or developing a legitimate competitor in the Eastern Conference either. They just parted ways with general manager Tommy Shepherd in April, so the front office isn’t the most stable in the league. That’s not to say the organization won’t be able to maximize Wembanyama, but it’s certainly fair to ask how well it will fare there.
12 – Portland Trail Blazers (10.5%): The Blazers won’t be a perfect fit for Wembanyama unless they replace Damian Lillard this off-season and do a complete rebuild. Lillard has made it clear that he’s not interested in being a part of this rebuilding process, as long as he’s on the roster the Blazers are in winning mode now. Wembanyama would probably be better suited to a team that can be patient with its development. Although he has been playing professionally for several years, it may take some time for him to get comfortable in the game NBA.
11. Oklahoma City Thunder (1.7%): The Thunder have a somewhat similar player to Wembanyama who they just drafted with the second overall pick in the draft last season in Chet Holmgren. While there’s no mistaking the talent overlap, the Thunder may at least want to see what they’ve got in Holmgren, who missed the entirety of last season, before investing in another high lottery pick in the same venue. With that said, it will certainly be interesting to watch Wimpy play for a Thunder team that won 40 games this past season.
10- Toronto Raptors (1%)There’s a lot up in the air for the Raptors right now. They have just fired head coach Nick Nurse and have yet to hire a replacement, and the futures of several players on the roster are in question. Toronto has done a good job of crafting and developing, so landing a Wemby there wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, but there are certainly more interesting destinations.
9- Utah Jazz (4.5%)The Jazz have plenty of recruiting picks in their war chest after the recent Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert deals. Adding Wembanyama as the franchise’s main building block moving forward would be a great start for the Jazz still chasing their first NBA title. The Jazz have never had a top pick in the draft, and this would certainly be a good time for the luck to be on Utah’s side.
8. Indiana Pacers (6.8%): Playing alongside Tyrese Halliburton at Indiana could really help open things up for Wimpanyama on offensive end early in his career. In addition, playing for a well-respected veteran coach with tournament experience such as Rick Carlisle could be beneficial. It wouldn’t be the most exciting place for him to land, but it would be a solid place.
7 – Charlotte Hornets (12.5%): Charlotte will be an exciting landing spot for Wimpanyama. They already have a young star guard at the LaMelo Ball, and he and Wemby could play off each other really well. If you put some veterans around these guys, you’ll have an interesting team. Charlotte drafted center Mark Williams in the first round last year, but they still wouldn’t pass up the chance to draft a potentially generational talent like Wimpanyama if given the chance.
6- Houston Rockets (14%)The Rockets already have a slew of young talent in various positions, and they just named a new head coach in Ime Udoka, who led the Celtics to the NBA Finals last season. It may take a year or two for the team to mature, but the ceiling will be high.
5. Chicago Bulls (1.8%): The NBA would likely want to land Wemby in Chicago since it is the largest market out of all possible landing sites. Plus, getting the potential future face of the league playing for the franchise that made Michael Jordan iconic would probably be great from a marketing perspective.
4 – Detroit Pistons (14%): The Pistons are in the midst of a complete rebuild and they already have several other promising young players including Cady Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Doren, so Wimpanyama fits right into the team’s schedule. He could be the final piece in the puzzle for Detroit moving forward with one of the best young cores in the league. There’s also the possibility that Wimpy’s star power could really unleash if he’s the man capable of returning the Pistons to the lead.
3- Orlando Magic (9%): Magic would be a perfect fit for Wembanyama. They already have a lot of young talent on the roster, though not necessarily in the centre. Should Wimpy slip into that spot, he’ll be playing alongside the recently crowned Rookie of the Year Paolo Panchero, and the duo would instantly form the most promising youth combo in the entire league. Orlando is a place where Wimpanyama thrives, and his addition could help turn the Magic into an Eastern Conference contender.
2. New Orleans Pelicans (0.5%): The last time the Pelicans had the first overall pick in the draft, they made it through. They’ve taken Anthony Davis with top pick in 2012 and Zion Williamson in 2020. Unfortunately, injury issues have hampered both men during their time with the Pelicans, but hopefully that won’t be the case with Wimpanyama. The Pelicans have a competent front office, and adding Wembanyama to a team that already has Williamson and other talented players like Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum would certainly be interesting.
1. San Antonio Spurs (14%): Tottenham is best suited to Mbaniyama. It is an established organization with a proven track record of developing and maximizing young talent. In addition, Wembanyama will get the opportunity to start his career by playing for one of the all-time best coaches in Gregg Popovich. Also, Tottenham do not currently have any sort of established identity or other young cornerstones, so they will immediately be able to start building around Wimpanyama.
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