Minnesota Timberwolves may have come up with an embarrassing performance during the regular season, but they have a reason to smile, as they won the 2015 NBA Draft lottery that took place in New York City on Tuesday.
It gives Wolves a chance to pick first in the draft, which takes place in Brooklyn at Barclays Center on 25 June.
The Timberwolves will be eager to strengthen their squad and pick the best player when the draft takes place and it is going to be no surprise if the Wolves go for Kentucky's Karl-Anthony Towns, who stands at 6ft 11in.
But there are a number of other players such as Duke center Jahlil Okafor and Ohio State point guard D'Angelo Russell, among others, who are also expected to go early in the draft.
Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks will respectively be the second, third and fourth teams to pick in the draft.
With more than a month to go, teams will do their homework well and see which player fits their bill.
Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said that they will pick the best player. "Having the No. 1 pick gives us the opportunity to really evaluate everybody and really see what direction we want to go," ESPN quoted Saunders as saying. "At this point, we're open. We'll pick the best player for us on June 25."
But it was not only the Wolves who were happy with the draft lottery, as Lakers, who had a disappointing regular season, might go in for Jahlil Okafor, another big man.
But irrespective of which player they opt for, they cannot depend on draft players alone. Rest of the players also need to rise to the occasion next season.
"Big-time night for us," LA Times quoted Coach Byron Scott Scott as saying. "I think this is obviously a step in the right direction for the franchise and the process of being back to where we know we should be in the next year or so."
Order of Picks:
1. Minnesota Timberwolves
2. Los Angeles Lakers
3. Philadelphia 76'ers
4. New York Knicks
5. Orlando Magic
6. Sacramento Kings
7. Denver Nuggets
8. Detroit Pistons
9. Charlotte Hornets
10. Miami Heat
11. Indiana Pacers
12. Utah Jazz
13. Phoenix Suns
14. Oklahoma City Thunder
