The Southeast Division had the top two picks in the NBA draft, with Atlanta and Washington selecting first and second.
This was a rare occurrence for both teams. The Hawks won the lottery despite having only a 3% chance to get the top pick. They had previously held the No. 1 pick only once before, back in 1975.
Washington had the top pick in 2001 (Kwame Brown) and 2010 (John Wall), but those were the only times in the last fifty years they had picked in the top two.
In other news within the division, the Orlando Magic found themselves in an unusual position after making the playoffs last season. They chose Colorado forward Tristan da Silva with the 18th pick, their lowest first-round selection since 2012.
While the Hawks and Wizards were close in the draft order, their on-court situations are quite different heading into the offseason. The Hawks were in the play-in round last season, with Trae Young and Dejounte Murray averaging more than 20 points per game. Now they’ve added French teenager Zaccharie Risacher to their roster.
On the other hand, the Wizards had a tough season, losing a franchise-record 67 games. Expectations remain low even after they selected French 7-footer Alex Sarr right after Risacher.