The NBA Draft lottery picks allow teams to rebuild and emerge stronger in their next campaign. The 2023 Draft lottery was no different, with every team gunning for the first pick. Some franchises had more to lose and others to gain from the Draft. So who is the biggest winner and loser from the NBA lottery Draft? Let’s take a look.
San Antonio Spurs – The Winner
The San Antonio Spurs are the biggest winners of the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery. The Spurs have a good track record for success but haven’t had a campaign as good as the 2018-2019 season. The team previously boasted a winning streak of 22 consecutive seasons, making them a favorite to place a sportbet on Betway. On top of that, they had one of the best runs winning at least 50 games in 18 straight seasons. The 2022 season saw two of their key players, Dejounte Murray and Derrick White, averaging up to 4000 minutes.
After Murray’s move to Atlanta, the Spurs dropped to 22 wins in the 2023 campaign. Since they didn’t have their leading man in their midst, the team’s performance was greatly affected. New players like Jeremy Sochan and Devin Vassell couldn’t fill the shoes of Murray nor perform to his standards. As a result, the San Antonio Spurs were banking everything on the NBA Draft Lottery, as this was their chance to get their main man.
Fortunately, Tuesday night was a night of celebration for the team. Despite their terrible recent season performance, the Spurs had some luck and won the 2023 Draft lottery pick, earning them the right to choose Victor Wembanyama. The number 1 overall pick is a beast on the court and a game-changer for any NBA Franchise. With Vassell and Keldon Johnson averaging a combined 40 points per game, Victor will definitely be a game-changer. He is the missing piece of the puzzle for the Spurs and the man they need in the team. Going forward, fans will have a great time streaming and wagering on Betway since the Spurs are expected to make a comeback soon.
The Houston Rockets – The Loser
The Houston Rockets needed a big name to change the course of the team. They had a chance at the NBA Draft Lottery 2023 but ended up bottling it. Their luck wasn’t just good enough. The Rockets finished the league with almost the worst performance record. They only managed to be better than one team. Missing the top overall position in the Draft Lottery for the third consecutive year was also a big blow to the franchise.
The Houston Rockets ended up with the number 4 overall pick in the Draft. Their choices could be narrowed down to elite prospects like Amen and Ausar Thompson. Sometime back before the draft, the Rockets general manager revealed that he would do anything to improve the roster. After such a terrible season performance, it’s understandable if he trades the Houston lottery pick for a better deal.
The Rockets were among the youngest team for the last two seasons. After completing the 2022 – 2023 campaign, the new coach Ime Udoka has considered adding some veterans to the squad to bring in the experience and winning mentality that the team needs to move forward. There are high chances that the Rockets would trade their number 4 pick for future picks or veteran players. The 2002 Draft pick was the last time the Rockets landed the first overall Draft Lottery pick where they drafted Yao Ming for that season.
In Summation
The long-awaited NBA Draft Lottery Pick is over. We have seen the biggest winner and loser from the pick. What will they do with their overall picks, and will they succeed in their next campaign? Let’s wait and see how the next season plays out, and with Betway offering great odds for the upcoming NBA games, we should expect thrilling matches and have great time wagering.
