Victor Wembanyama 2023 NBA Draft lottery odds: Rockets, Pistons, Spurs favored to win chance at generational prospect

The most important NBA Draft lottery in years will be held Tuesday night ahead of Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Lakers and Nuggets. The Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs all have equal 14% chances of winning the lottery and the opportunity to select generational prospect Victor Wembanyama at No. 1 overall in next month's draft. At DraftKings, each of that trio is priced +550 to win the lottery, which equates to 15.4%.

NBA teams tank every year, but several didn't even bother hiding it in 2023 because the 7-foot-4 Frenchman Wembanyama is considered perhaps the most unique prospect (he can dribble and shoot like a guard) to ever enter the league and its most touted since LeBron James was chosen first overall by Cleveland in 2003. Wembanyama will not be in attendance for the lottery because his French team, Boulogne-Levallois, has a game Tuesday. It'll be a little after 2 a.m. Wednesday in Paris when the results are announced.  

DK lists Wembanyama as the -20000 favorite to be picked first on June 22. In the past 30 seasons, there are just three No. 1 overall picks who have won a championship with the team that drafted them. James is one.

Since the NBA changed the lottery system in 2019, one of the teams with a top-three chance has won three of four times, the exception coming in '19 when New Orleans jumped six spots to No. 1 and took Zion Williamson. Over the past three years, the clubs with the third-worst (Minnesota in 2020), second-worst (Detroit in 2021) and second-worst records (Orlando in 2022) won it. The Magic took Duke forward Paolo Banchero at No. 1 overall last year and he won Rookie of the Year.

Wembanyama will be the heavy favorite for next season's edition of that award, and whichever team gets him will be heavily featured on national TV in the 2023-24 season – including likely the season opener.

Houston last won the draft lottery in 2002 and took Chinese center Yao Ming -- a good choice. Detroit won it in 2021 and selected Cade Cunningham. Also likely a good choice, even though Cunningham missed most of last season with an injury. The Spurs haven't won the lottery since 1997 when they took future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan first overall. No player from France has gone first.

The "consolation" prize for the team that finishes second in the lottery likely would be either G-League guard Scoot Henderson (-220 as No. 2 pick), who would be the top pick in most other years, or Alabama's Brandon Miller (+160), the 2022-23 SEC Freshman and Player of the Year. Whichever one of them doesn't go second should go third, and then there's a bit of a drop-off.

Draft Lottery DK odds/ping-pong percentages

(Mavs' pick to New York if outside top 10; Bulls' pick to Orlando if outside top 4)

1. Detroit Pistons (+550) - 14%
2. San Antonio Spurs (+550) - 14%
3. Houston Rockets (+550) - 14%
4. Charlotte Hornets (+650) - 12.5%
5. Portland Trail Blazers (+800) - 10.5%
6. Orlando Magic (+900) - 9%
7. Washington Wizards (+1200) - 6.8%
8. Indiana Pacers (+1200) - 6.7%
9. Utah Jazz (+1800) - 4.5%
10. Dallas Mavericks (+2800) - 3%
11. Chicago Bulls (+4500) - 1.8%
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (+4500) - 1.7%
13. Toronto Raptors (+8000) - 1%
14. New Orleans Pelicans (+16000) - 0.5%

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