In a rather unusual twist of fate, the New Orleans Pelicans won the NBA Draft Lottery and will have first dibs to pick Duke Blue Devils standout, Zion Williamson. This is the second time the team was able to land the top spot; in 2012, they chose Anthony Davis as their No. 1 pick. "Unibrow" stepped up to the hype and simply put, became one of the best big men of the league.
Despite his reputation as a solid MVP contender at any given season, Davis still longed for that elusive championship trophy. Although the Pelicans had the talent, they lacked something. This may or may not be the primary reason why he requested a trade and that it saw the Los Angeles Lakers offering most of their young and up and coming players.
Now that they have the number 1 pick, the league's official website says that Davis' decision to be traded to another team "might not seem so appealing to him now." The Pelicans will have the chance to add depth to their roster by picking the best player in the draft, and this will most likely tap Davis to reconsider his decision. Whether it's Williamson, Ja Morant or RJ Barret, the future No.1 pick will help the team - and Davis - to chase that ring.
Another source on the other hand sees that New Orleans will be picking Zion "no matter what happens." This plus the fact that President David Griffin said that they haven't totally given up on Davis makes for a good argument. Should Davis change his mind, he will have Zion in one corner. If he is still firm and still wants to be traded, New Orleans can still center on the Duke Blue Devil as their next superstar.
Griffin, however, admitted that winning the draft lottery "may not necessarily convince" the 6-time All-Star to stay. It will boost the team's morale in some way or another, but the President thinks that it will not "play into it hugely." Be that as it may, having a player who averaged around 23 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks per outing plus a ton of highlight reel as the next face of the Pelicans franchise isn't so bad.
Right now, New Orleans is the luckiest city in the NBA. The team only had a 6% chance in landing the number one pick heading to the draft, but lady luck smiled at the Pelicans. At this point, time will play a crucial role in how Davis will play his cards. If his decision hasn't changed, so be it. But if he wants to play alongside Zion, then we'll be watching a team that's ready to take on the challenge.
