Washington Wins NBA Lottery

By Justin Worsley

The Washington Wizards have won the 2010 NBA lottery for the upcoming draft, a pick which will most likely be used on Kentucky point guard John Wall. The Wizards finished last season with a 26-56 record, the fourth-worst in the NBA. Washington had a 10.3-percent chance of winning the first-overall selection.

The New Jersey Nets, who started last season by losing their first 18 games, finished the year with a 12-70 record, the worst in the NBA. The team had a 25-percent chance of selecting first, however, they could also draft no lower than fourth-overall. The Nets, who were represented by new majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov, won the third-overall selection, behind the Philadelphia 76ers.

While the consensus top player of the upcoming draft is Wall, many see Ohio State guard Evan Turner is a close second. Turner, who won the NCAA Player of the Year award last season, averaged 20.4 points as a junior while making many clutch shots, including a buzzer-beater against rival Michigan in the Big Ten Championship game.

Wall, 19, averaged 16.6 points as part of a star-studded Wildcat squad which includes center DeMarcus Cousins, another top-five caliber player. Both players were selected to the NCAA All-American team.

Washington, who was represented by Irene Pollin, widow of former long-time Wizards owner Abe Pollin, will select first for second time in franchise history. In 2001, Washington selected Kwame Brown with the top pick. Pollin wore her husbands 1978 NBA Championship ring he won as the owner of the Washington Bullets. The Bullets changed their name to the Wizards in 1997.

Utah, who made the playoffs this season, are selecting ninth-overall. The Jazz possess the New York Knicks first-round pick after a 2004 trade with the Phoenix Suns.