The Toronto Raptors have chosen team president and vice chairman Masai Ujiri to represent the franchise on stage at the NBA Draft Lottery Monday night in Chicago. With a 31.9% chance of securing a top-four pick, Ujiri will be hoping to bring some good fortune to a team in need of a game-changing addition. While Ujiri appears on stage, Raptors general manager Bobby Webster will be stationed in the lottery drawing room, where the NBA will randomly select numbered ping pong balls to determine the top four picks.
Ujiri will be joined on stage by a range of representatives from other teams, including Bub Carrington (Washington Wizards), Utah Jazz co-owner Ashley Smith, San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Mitch Johnson, Keon Ellis (Sacramento Kings), Toumani Camara (Portland Trail Blazers), Jared McCain (Philadelphia 76ers), Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans), Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon (Houston Rockets), Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls), Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee, and Brooklyn Nets coach Jordi Fernandez. Meanwhile, the drawing room will host team executives and general managers closely watching as the fate of their draft positions unfolds.
The Raptors hold a 7.5% chance at landing the No. 1 overall pick, with 7.8%, 8.1%, and 8.5% odds at the second, third, and fourth selections, respectively. However, the most probable outcome is Toronto landing the No. 8 pick, which carries a 34.1% likelihood. Should they miss out on a top-four spot, the Raptors could end up selecting anywhere from No. 7 to No. 11.......Read More