Wizards Get Their Wish Granted

Tyrone Montgomery | May 12, 2024

May 12, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Kansas’ Johnny Furphy NBA at the Draft Lottery at McCormick Place / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

There are moments in life where one may become anxious and excited over what's to come in the near future. Today, the Washington Wizards had that exact feeling as they received the NBA Lottery results for the 2024 NBA Draft.

The goal was to get the number one overall pick in the draft. Getting that honor tends to bring a lot of pressure to different franchises. The Cleveland Cavaliers suffered that with Anthony Bennett in the 2013 NBA Draft. He was a draft bust who didn't last long in the league.

Then, there are times when the player being drafted number one overall may not have necessarily been a bust. However, injuries caused them not to pan out long-term in the NBA. You can think about the Portland Trailblazers in this regard when they drafted Greg Oden in the 2007 NBA Draft. What made matters worse for them was the fact that future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant was drafted right after him.

Now, there's the account of the Wizards when they were awarded with the number one overall pick in 2001. Kwame Brown was the selection. He wasn't necessarily a bad player throughout his career. Teams were interested in what he could bring to their team to help them win games. However, he wasn't the player the Wizards expected with the number one overall pick and that is what made him to be considered as a draft bust.

Well, the results for the lottery are in for the Wizards and they will be picking second in the 2024 NBA Draft. It may not be the number one pick. However, this may be the best choice for the Wizards as there isn't a lot of pressure picking second. What helps this season for the Wizards is the fact that there really isn't any one particular player in this draft who is a clear favorite to go number one. This draft will be key for years to come for the Washington Wizards and their future.