| | Associated Press
SECAUCUS, N.J. -- The New Jersey Nets, a team looking for a
coach, a president and director of basketball operations after
another dreadful season, finally won a big one, getting the No. 1
pick in the NBA draft lottery on Sunday.
"It's so unbelievable, that it's hard for me to stand here and
tell you how I feel," said principal owner Lewis Katz, who pumped
the air with his fist after the Nets won. "My insides are shaking
right now. This is it. This is the beginning of something good for
the Nets. I really believe that."
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First-round order
|
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1. New Jersey
2. Vancouver
3. L.A. Clippers
4. Chicago
5. Orlando (from Golden State)
6. Atlanta
7. Chicago (from Washington)
8. Cleveland
9. Houston
10. Orlando (from Denver)
11. Boston
12. Dallas
13. Orlando
14. Detroit
15. Milwaukee
16. Sacramento
17. Seattle
18. L.A. Clippers (from Toronto through Atlanta, Philadelphia
and New York)
19. Charlotte
20. Philadelphia
21. Toronto (from Minnesota)
22. New York
23. Utah (from Miami)
24. Chicago (from San Antonio)
25. Phoenix
26. Utah
27. Indiana
28. Portland
29. L.A. Lakers |
The Nets (31-51) had only a 4.4 percent chance of jumping from
the No. 7 spot in the lottery to the top spot in the draft, but
luck was on their side when the numbers 6-8-9-14 were drawn in the
ping-pong ball lottery.
"This should also make it easier for us to fill some slots in
the administration for us, because this could make the difference,
having the top pick," Katz said.
The lottery was filled with upsets as the Vancouver Grizzlies
also made a move up, jumping from No. 4 to the second pick. On the
other hand, the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls, the two
worst teams in the lottery, slipped to the third and fourth picks
in the draft, respectively.
The Clippers (15-67) had a 25 percent chance of getting the No.
1 pick and the Bulls (17-65) had a 20 percent chance.
"This pick could basically really move the team up a
substantial notch," new Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley said.
"There's so many options. We may be able to make a trade for the
pick, we may be able to trade for two other picks further down.
This really opens up a lot of opportunities for us."
The Nets' jump from the seventh spot to No. 1 overall is the
second biggest since the league switched to the weighted ping-pong
ball system in 1990. Orlando jumped from 11th to first in 1993, the
year it took Chris Webber and then traded him to Golden State for
Penny Hardaway and three first-round picks, the last of which gave
the Magic the rights to the Warriors' choice this year.
That turned out to be No. 5 overall. Orlando also will have the
10th (from Denver) and 13th.
Atlanta will pick sixth and will be followed by Chicago -- using
a pick it got from Washington -- Cleveland, Houston, Orlando, Boston,
Dallas and Orlando.
Chicago, which won last year's lottery, did have a little luck
as Washington did not get one of the top three picks. That means
the Bulls get the Wizards' choice. That will give Chicago the
fourth and seventh picks.
|  | | So do you think Nets principal owner Lewis Katz was happy winning the NBA draft lottery Sunday? |
Since joining the NBA in 1976, the Nets have been one of the
league's perennial doormats, losing 50 games at least 12 times.
They have made the playoffs 11 times but only advanced beyond the
first round once.
"I sure hope this is a giant step," said general manager John
Nash, who reportedly will be fired once a new director of
basketball operations is found. "It's one small step for the NBA,
one giant step for the New Jersey Nets."
This will be the second time the Nets will have the No. 1 pick.
They had it in 1990 and took Derrick Coleman.
New Jersey has two of the most talented young players in the
league in point guard Stephon Marbury and forward Keith Van Horn,
but they lacked a dominant player in the middle as Jayson Williams
was sidelined all season with a knee injury and broken leg
sustained in April 1999.
Cincinnati forward Kenyon Martin is considered the best player
in the upcoming draft, but he broke his leg late in the season and
that makes him somewhat of a question mark.
Nash isn't concerned, saying the Nets doctors will evaluate him.
Almost three dozen underclassmen have entered the draft, headed
by Iowa State forward Marcus Fizer (22.8 points, 7.7 rebounds) and
Texas center Chris Mihm (17.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.7 blocks).
Other underclassmen include Joel Przybilla of Minnesota, Jerome
Moiso of UCLA, Stromile Swift of LSU, JaRon Rush of UCLA, DerMarr
Johnson of Cincinnati and point guards Erick Barkley of St. John's
and Khalid El-Amin of Connecticut. | |
ALSO SEE
Nets weigh M&M's: Mihm and Martin
NBA draft: First-round projections
Draft: Top five players by position
Nets hope to fill front office spots soon
Past NBA Draft Lotteries
AUDIO/VIDEO
 The waiting is over, who will get the first pick? (Courtesy: NBC Sports)
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RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Nets owner Lewis Katz is excited to get the first overall pick of the 2000 NBA Draft. (Courtesy: NBC Sports)
wav: 288 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik announces the draft order of the top three picks. (Courtesy: NBC Sports)
wav: 273 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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