Who will be the first pick in the NBA draft?

The summer is quickly approaching, with the 2019 NBA Draft just around the corner. For now, the draft order is yet to be set, with the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery set for May 14^th.

For now, two big questions will continue to be heard until the first pick is announced. Which team will win the NBA lottery and the right to draft number one overall, and which player will be the first overall player taken during the 2019 NBA draft.

Brand new system for the draft

For now, we have to wait to see which team will take home the first overall pick as the NBA turns to a brand new weight lottery system to determine who will get that pick.

Currently the New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers all will have 140 chances at landing the number one overall pick. The rest of the chances for the lottery include the Chicago Bulls (125), Atlanta Hawks (105), Washington Wizards (90), New Orleans Pelicans (60), Memphis Grizzlies (60), Dallas Mavericks (60), Minnesota Timberwolves (30), Los Angeles Lakers (20), Charlotte Hornets (10), Miami Heat (10) and Sacramento Kings (10).

While we all wait to see who lands the number one overall pick, the player that could wind up being taken number one overall comes down to just two players in most experts eyes.

Those two players are the former Duke Blue Devils teammates Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett. As both are rumored to be the top two selections, others such as Ja Morant, Jaxson Hayes and Jarrett Culver are also great options and could be players who will move up the draft boards with strong performances in workouts before draft day.

Here is a quick look at each of those future NBA players.

Zion Williamson, 6’10’’, 272lbs

The former Blue Devils star is the next freak of the NBA who can do nearly anything asked of him. This includes being a tremendous two way player who can score on one end of the floor and block a shot on the other end of the floor. Along with his skill set, Williamson is a very accurate and friendly passer who can help open up the floor for his teammates.

R.J. Barrett, 6’6’’, 190lbs

Much like his former teammate, Barrett is a dominating player who can be a key asset for any team that elects to draft him with either the first pick of the draft or the first few selections. While Barrett showed signs of being a little too aggressive from the field, his ability to post a solid stat line comes very easy while showing no degradation while playing top talent.

Ja Morant, 6’3’’, 175lbs

The former Murray State star was as good as any point guard in the country all season as well as when it mattered the most during the post season. Morant has the ability to both score and assist his teammates. On the year, Morant averaged over 24 points a game while dishing out 10 assists per contest.

Jaxson Hayes, 6’11’’, 220lbs

Hayes might not be as polished on the floor as a few of the other names on this list, but his height and tangibles as well as his upside makes him an interesting option as teams make the first few picks of this year’s draft. Hayes ability to block shots and rebound make him an asset worthy of a top five pick in the draft.

Jarrett Culver, 6’7’’, 195lbs

2019 All-Tournament Team:

Matt Mooney
Jarrett Culver
Ty Jerome
De'Andre Hunter
Kyle Guy#NationalChampionship 👏 pic.twitter.com/wMBsfhR2to

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) April 9, 2019

Culver, who was recently in the 2019 NCAA All-Tournament team, will be an interesting name come draft time and one that could either slide up or down based on his performance for teams during workouts. As a sophomore, Culver was a key part of the success of the Texas Tech Red Raiders as they came just one win shy of taking home the National Championship. While many have Culver slotted in at the point guard position, Culver has the size to play both guard positions.

Now we all just have to wait to see where these young men will land this summer.

Featured Image Credit: “NBA Logo” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by theglobalpanorama