Atlanta Hawks Land No. 1 Pick in 2024 NBA Draft Lottery Despite 3% Odds

CNN
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The Atlanta Hawks will be selected first in the 2024 NBA Draft after winning the draft lottery held at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago on Sunday.

Atlanta had a 3% chance of landing the top pick after finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference this season with a 36-46 record. The team participated in the play-in tournament but failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Only four teams have won the lottery with shorter odds than the Hawks, with the Orlando Magic holding the record at 1.52% in 1993.

If the Hawks keep the pick, it will be the fourth time in franchise history that they have selected first since drafting David Thompson out of NC State in 1975. The Hawks have never had the first pick since the NBA moved to a draft lottery. in 1985.

The Washington Wizards, who were tied with the Detroit Pistons for the highest probability of getting the first pick (14%), will have the second pick. Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets landed the third pick, while the San Antonio Spurs will have the fourth pick.

Even if they finish with the worst record in the league, the Pistons will have the fifth overall pick in the draft.

Unlike last year, where Victor Wembanyama was the clear first overall pick, this year’s edition features no favorites. Two French basketball players, forward Zaccharie Risacher and center Alex Sarr, are considered two of the best prospects.

The 2024 NBA Draft will take place June 26-27, in the first-ever two-day event at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.