LeBron, other players react on Twitter to eventful draft lottery
The NBA's decision to disincentivize tanking by giving the bottom-three teams an equal shot at landing the first overall pick in the draft resulted in arguably the most exciting lottery of all time on Tuesday.
The 33-49 New Orleans Pelicans won the right to select consensus No. 1 pick Zion Williamson despite having just a six percent chance of doing so. The Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Cleveland Cavaliers round out the top five.
A number of current and former players reacted on social media to the festivities, including Lakers superstar LeBron James.
#4 π Beautiful.
β LeBron James (@KingJames) May 15, 2019
Kyle Kuzma represented the Lakers at the lottery and wanted full credit for his team overcoming just a 9.4 percent chance of moving into the top four.
Ya welcome π π
β kuz (@kylekuzma) May 15, 2019
Trae Young, meanwhile, watched from afar as his Atlanta Hawks fell from the fifth-best odds for the top selection and land on the eighth overall pick.
WHAAAAATTπ³π³π³π³
β Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) May 15, 2019
We Gon Be Aighttt !!! βοΈ X πͺπ½ #TrueToAtlanta pic.twitter.com/tDxLyfoX9l
β Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) May 15, 2019
AD and Zion will they still keep AD π€
β Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) May 15, 2019
Laker Nation, Kyle Kuzma worked his magic to get the number 4 pick for our @Lakers in the NBA draft! The Lakers are going to get a really good young player to help LeBron and the team next season.
β Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 15, 2019
We just witnessed the end of tanking ππ½ππ½ππ½. And we should be happy about it.
β Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) May 15, 2019
Not sure how I feel about what just happened lol
β Bobby BP Portis (@BPortistime) May 15, 2019
ππππΎππΎπ£π£
β Jaren Jackson Jr. (@jarenjacksonjr) May 15, 2019
Crazy π
β Nikola Mirotic (@threekola) May 15, 2019
Draft lottery is crazy!!!
β Al Horford (@Al_Horford) May 15, 2019
New lottery system aye? Lol
β John Henson (@Johnhenson31) May 15, 2019
Wow!!!!π#NBADraftLottery
β Caron Butler (@realtuffjuice) May 15, 2019
The @nba.. where plot twist happen daily
β Quincy Pondexter (@QuincyPondexter) May 15, 2019
Zion to the Pels, #BronEffect Somehow π€·πΎββοΈ
β Anthony Morrow (@MrAnthonyMorrow) May 15, 2019
All that tanking for nothing basketball gods love the game
β JARRETT JACK (@Jarrettjack03) May 15, 2019