1.The Philadelphia 76ers will have Two Top-Five Picks
Nicknamed “Tankadelphia” for the team’s recent struggles on the court, the Philadelphia 76ers may have caught a break. The lottery has not been very kind to the 76ers in years past but with a 23.8 percent chance that the Los Angeles Lakers fall out of the top-three converting the pick to a Philadelphia selection, the probability is low but very possible. With the 4th and 5th pick, the 76ers will likely select Malik Monk and Jayson Tatum, two players that have proven themselves as top college players and potential NBA breakouts.
2. The PAC-12 will have the most First Round Players Selected
Given that two of the projected top-three picks are coming from this conference, this should not be surprising. Arizona and Oregon are likely to add another two players each and expect another few coming from Cal and University of Southern California (USC). It will be very narrow given the pure depth of talent in the dominate conferences like the SEC and ACC.
3. More Forwards will be Selected than Guards
The game has started to evolve into a different playing style that calls for more physical big men that can also run the floor. LeBron James is an excellent example of a big, physical player who also has the grace and ability to play like a guard. This upcoming draft is extremely deep in all positions but despite the top ten to be mostly guards selected, look for big men to become the focal point as we move towards the later picks.
4. Sacramento will Trade one of their Picks
The Kings have had an unfortunate history with trading and the draft for that matter, but it will all come together for them in the 2017 NBA Draft. With the predicted 8th and 10th selection, the Kings will likely deal one of those picks in order to continue trying to rebuild their franchise. They recognize their slim chances of making a run for the title next year and will instead invest in future drafts.
5. Kentucky will have the Most Individual Players Selected:
The Kentucky Wildcats have been breeding one and done players ever since the rule that players had to attend one year of college. Head coach John Calipari recognizes his players' aspirations of playing in the league and does his best job to put them on a platform for NBA teams. It is likely that Kentucky will have up to five first-round selections including two standout freshman potentially going in the top five. The Duke Blue Devils will also have a staggering number of players selected but ultimately look for Kentucky to just edge out Duke's head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
The NBA Draft Lottery and NBA Draft are always full of surprises so tune in on May 16 for the ping-pong balls to determine each team's fate and on June 22 for when players will hear their name called by the NBA Commissioner Adam Silver at the NBA Draft.