New York Knicks: NBA Draft Lottery history of teams with highest odds since 2000

The New York Knicks will share the highest odds for the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. How have teams before them fared with this spot?

The New York Knicks will partake in the draft lottery for the third straight season on Tuesday, May 14. They share the highest odds — 14 percent — with the Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers for first overall.

There is a long, recent history of the lottery, which has become a televised spectacle. 14 teams arrive in one place to test their luck and hope for the first chance to choose a player for their next roster.

The odds don’t always result in a team’s favor, however, so the Knicks hold no guarantees for the first overall pick. Granted, their odds are the lowest of anyone to win the lottery as the NBA’s worst record since the turn of the millennium, but it still warrants caution.

So what happened to the teams who had the highest odds in their respective lottery since 2000? Let’s take a look:

• 2000: The Los Angeles Clippers went from first to third and made Darius Miles their pick
• 2001: The Chicago Bulls fell to fourth overall and chose future member of the New York Knicks, Eddy Curry.
• 2002: The Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors had even odds for the first pick, but neither landed it. The Bulls snagged Jay Williams second and the Warriors picked Mike Dunleavy third.
• 2003: The Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets shared the highest odds. Cleveland chose LeBron James first overall and Denver picked Carmelo Anthony third. Those picks worked out fairly well.
• 2004: The Orlando Magic entered the lottery with the highest odds and walked away with the top pick. They chose Dwight Howard.
• 2005: The Atlanta Hawks fell one spot shy of the first pick. They chose Marvin Williams from North Carolina.
• 2006: The Portland Trail Blazers left the lottery fourth overall, but they traded up to No. 2 and chose LaMarcus Aldridge.
• 2007: The Memphis Grizzlies saw Kevin Durant and Greg Oden — then perceived as the draft’s top big man — slip away, but they picked Mike Conley fourth.
• 2008: The Miami Heat lost the Derrick Rose race to the Chicago Bulls and took Michael Beasley at No. 2.
• 2009: The Sacramento Kings cratered to fourth and chose Tyreke Evans.
• 2010: The New Jersey Nets lost the John Wall sweepstakes and dropped to third. They chose Derrick Favors, who quickly became part of the Deron Williams package to Utah.
• 2011: The Minnesota Timberwolves had their chance at Kyrie Irving disappear when the Cleveland Cavaliers won the lottery. They chose Derrick Williams at No. 2.
• 2012: The Charlotte Hornets missed out on Anthony Davis and landed second in the final order. They chose Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
• 2013: The Orlando Magic were in the driver’s seat, but dropped to the second pick. They chose Victor Oladipo.
• 2014: The Milwaukee Bucks had the highest odds, but they fell to second overall and picked Jabari Parker.
• 2015: The Minnesota Timberwolves had the highest odds and won the lottery. They selected Karl-Anthony Towns.
• 2016: The Philadelphia 76ers had the highest odds and won the lottery. They selected Ben Simmons.
• 2017: The Brooklyn Nets traded this pick to the Boston Celtics in the 2013 Kevin Garnett–Paul Pierce trade, and it landed first overall. Before the draft, the Celtics sent it to the 76ers, who selected Markelle Fultz.
• 2018: The Phoenix Suns had the highest odds for the first pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and won the lottery. They selected Deandre Ayton.

The New York Knicks will hope to replicate Phoenix’s success in 2018 and Philadelphia’s “The Process” scenario in 2016. Will they win this Game of Ping Pong Balls?