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Recap: Pelicans win 2019 NBA Draft Lottery

Despite just a six percent chance, the New Orleans Pelicans won the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery and will make the No. 1 overall pick in June.
Credit: Charles Rex Arbogast
The fate of the 14 teams that did not qualify for the 2019 NBA Playoffs will be decided tonight with the NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago, Illinois.

CLEVELAND — 8:54 p.m./ET-Pelicans looking to give Anthony Davis reason to stay

The New Orleans Pelicans have a star player, Anthony Davis, who let the organization know last season that he did not intend to sign a max contract extension, and instead would like to be dealt to a team in a bigger market, but will executive David Griffin convince him to stay?

Well, Griffin, a championship-winning executive with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, got a nice boost in his quest to do that in the form of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

The Pelicans won the NBA Draft Lottery for just the second time, and ironically enough, the last time they won, Davis was chosen No. 1 overall out of the University of Kentucky.

8:50 p.m./ET-Pelicans win NBA Draft Lottery

The New Orleans Pelicans had just a six percent chance to win the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but the numbers worked out the correct way and former Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin will have the top selection in June.

Only five teams had worse odds than the Pelicans heading into the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery.

Top Four Selections:

4. Los Angeles Lakers

3. New York Knicks

2. Memphis Grizzlies

1. New Orleans Pelicans

8:45 p.m./ET-First 10 Lottery Picks released

The Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans improved their positions in the 2019 NBA Draft, meaning the Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers all fell in the order.

Here are the first 10 lottery picks:

14. Boston Celtics (from Sacramento Kings)

13. Miami Heat

12. Charlotte Hornets

11. Minnesota Timberwolves

10. Atlanta Hawks

9. Washington Wizards

8. Atlanta Hawks

7. Chicago Bulls

6. Phoenix Suns

5. Cleveland Cavaliers

8:30 p.m./ET-NBA Draft Lottery is here

Who will earn the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft?

Well, the answer to that question is just a few minutes away as the results of the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery will be revealed on ESPN at 8:30 p.m./ET.

Here are the odds for each of the non-playoff teams to win the lottery and get the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft:

New York Knicks (17-65) 14 percent

Phoenix Suns (19-63) 14 percent

Cleveland Cavaliers (19-63) 14 percent

Chicago Bulls (22-60) 12.5 percent

Atlanta Hawks (29-53) 10.5 percent

Washington Wizards (32-50) 9 percent

New Orleans Pelicans (33-49) 6 percent

Dallas Mavericks (33-49) 6 percent

Memphis Grizzlies (33-49) 6 percent

Minnesota Timberwolves (36-46) 3 percent

Los Angeles Lakers (37-45) 2 percent

Charlotte Hornets (39-43) 1 percent

Miami Heat (39-43) 1 percent

Sacramento Kings (39-43) 1 percent

7:30 p.m./ET-NBA Draft Lottery order to be set tonight

Will the top college players go to a team that is just one athlete away from contending in their respective conference, or will a franchise that had major struggles during the 2018-2019 season be rewarded with new hope because of a difference-making star?

Those questions will get answered as the fate of the 14 teams who did not qualify for the 2019 NBA Playoffs will be determined as the NBA Draft Lottery will be drawn and the order of the top 14 picks in the 2019 NBA Draft will be set in Chicago, Illinois tonight.

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