A year after they missed out on the top pick despite compiling
the league's worst record, the Trail Blazers beat overwhelming odds
and won the NBA draft lottery Tuesday night in Secaucus, New
Jersey.
Portland now has the opportunity to choose Greg Oden or Kevin
Durant.
"Huge, unbelievably huge," general manager Kevin Pritchard said.
"Franchise making. ... Rip City again, here we come."
Portland had just a 5.3 percent chance of landing the No.1 pick,
and the potential franchise player that goes with it. Seattle was
No.2 and Atlanta was third. The teams with the three worst records
all fell out of those spots, the first time that has happened under
the current format.
Represented by Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy, the Blazers got a
head start on landing next year's top newcomer. They will almost
certainly choose between Oden, the Ohio State center, or Durant,
Texas' high-scoring forward.
The 7-foot Oden is the likely top pick, because dominant centers
are harder to find. But Pritchard said he wants to talk to both
players, saying the interview last year with Roy was a determining
factor in wanting him.
The lottery determined the top three spots, with the rest of the
teams going in reverse order of a team's finish.
Memphis and Boston, which had the worst records in the league
and the best chance of landing in the top two, slipped to fourth
and fifth, respectively.
Milwaukee will go sixth, followed by Minnesota, Charlotte and
Chicago, which had the rights to New York's pick after the Eddy
Curry trade.
Sacramento goes 10th, followed by the Hawks, Philadelphia, New
Orleans and the Los Angeles Clippers.
(Xinhua News Agency via Agencies May 24, 2007)