It is part of the American destiny of Victor Wembanyama which will be played out overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday. A month before the draft to be held on June 22 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the NBA is organizing the 39th edition of its lottery which awards the first picks of the draft. A tradition launched in 1985 when the New York Knicks inherited the first choice – not without a theory accusing the NBA of having favored the “Big Apple” franchise – and selected pivot Patrick Ewing.
The 14 franchises not qualified in the play-offs sent a representative to Chicago to attend the lottery. But not all are equal. The weakest teams in the regular season, led by Detroit (17 wins), have the best chance of getting the first pick and therefore a chance to draft the young French interior. The Pistons share “favorite” status with Houston and San Antonio: 14% odds each. Casting, ping pong balls and sealed envelopes: our journalist Sami Sadik explains how this lottery works.