Victor is going to San Antonio! Wembanyama’s probable NBA home is determined if Spurs win the No. 1 pick, with Hornets and Blazers rounding out the top three in next month’s draft
The Spurs are in the driver’s seat to select Victor Wembanyama after winning the NBA Draft lottery on Tuesday night.
San Antonio had the collectively best chance — 14 percent — of getting the No. 1 pick, and now they have a chance to pick a generation contender once dubbed an “alien” by LeBron James.
‘I’m going [do] everything to win as many games as possible,” he said during a live interview with ESPN from Paris.
“I’m trying to win a ring as soon as possible, so be prepared.”
The Hornets got the number 2 pick while the Blazers rounded out the top three.
The first nine picks announced went right by the odds.
The Pelicans got the 14th pick, the Raptors got the 13th pick, the Thunder got the 12th pick, and the Magic – through an earlier trade with the Bulls – got the 11th pick.
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The 10th pick then went to the Mavs, who would have given that selection to the Knicks had it slipped past that spot, while No. 9 went to the Jazz, No. 8 to the Wizards, No. 7 to the Pacers, and No. 6. to the Magic.
But things went off script on the fifth pick, when the Pistons — who together had the best chances of winning the lottery — saw their name called.
The next pick announced was also a surprise, as the Rockets—who, in addition to Detroit and San Antonio, also had a 14 percent chance of winning the lottery—were caught off guard by Charlotte and Portland, coming in at the fourth pick.
Spurs owner Peter Holt, who attended the lottery in Chicago, was elated after it was announced that his team had won the No. 1 pick and shouted “let’s go!” immediately after and later joked that he “might pass out” on ESPN.