The Atlanta Hawks emerge victorious in the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery.
The Atlanta Hawks clinched the top spot in the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery, sponsored by State Farm, held at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago.
This victory grants the Hawks the coveted first overall pick in the NBA Draft 2024, also sponsored by State Farm. The draft's first round is scheduled for Wednesday, June 26th, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., followed by the second round on Thursday, June 27th, at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York.
The lottery results are as follows:
1. Atlanta
2. Washington
3. Houston
4. San Antonio
5. Detroit
6. Charlotte
7. Portland
8. San Antonio
9. Memphis
10. Utah
11. Chicago
12. Oklahoma City
13. Sacramento
14. Portland
Despite having mere 3% odds, the Hawks secured the top pick, a remarkable feat considering their 10th-place finish in the Eastern Conference with a 36-46 record. Their late-season struggles, including six consecutive losses and a defeat to the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the So-Fi Play-In Tournament, made their lottery win all the more surprising.
General manager Landry Fields expressed his elation, stating, “It was a shock. When I first saw that it wasn’t us between 10 and 12, that launched us into the top four. I was like, all right, we’ve got a real shot at this thing. A bit of surprise, but a lot of excitement.”
With the No. 1 pick, Fields now has the opportunity to shape the team's future, though the top choice remains uncertain following Victor Wembanyama's selection by San Antonio last year.
Washington and Detroit, with 14% odds each, were the frontrunners for the top pick. Only four teams have won the lottery with slimmer odds than Atlanta, with Orlando's improbable 1.52% chance in 1993 standing as the most remarkable. The Magic's subsequent trade with Golden State, exchanging Chris Webber for Penny Hardaway and three future first-round picks, remains one of the draft's blockbuster moments.
San Antonio's success in drafting Wembanyama last year showcased the franchise's knack for identifying generational talent. With a history of selecting stars like David Robinson and Tim Duncan with the first overall pick, the Spurs continue their tradition of acquiring impactful players, with Wembanyama making an immediate impact with one of the most impressive rookie seasons in NBA history.