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Mar 15, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (13) celebrates his game winning three-point basket with forward Kyshawn George (18) in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Are the Wizards the Most Deserving of the #1 Draft Pick?

Originally posted on Washington Wizards on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated May 12, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The seldom-relevant Washington Wizards find themselves near the center of one of the bigger stories surround the NBA world.

The playoffs have been entertaining with plenty left to go, but the majority of the league's fan base support teams who's contending hopes have already been dashed or organizations who never had a prayer at the 2025 title. The league's annual draft is nearly upon us, and the Wizards have a huge opportunity ahead of them as a team favored to capitalize on a talented draft with a pick near the top of the order.

They're guaranteed a selection spot no later than #6, given their finish as the league's second-worst regular season squad, planting them right near the top of the teams with the best odds at tonight's live drawing in Chicago.

But they're not alone in their hope. The Utah Jazz and the Charlotte Hornets have their own dreams of taking home top prospect Cooper Flagg, with all three franchises experiencing their own winding paths into the NBA's valley.

The question of who "deserves" the #1 pick in an inspiring draft class has been thrown around through online shots thrown from one fan base to another, with the lower-end teams often criticizing how their fellow losers ended up at similar low points.

The conversation has gone mainstream as the lottery announcement night's drawn closer, with Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo of The Ringer discussing how each team's "karma" should play into who's due for the most good fortune.

Simmons ranked Washington #2 on his board for a few reasons, chief among them being their lack of successful, long-term team-building, the Washington market just waiting for something to cheer for and the promising asset accumulation they've gotten up to in recent years. They made the mature decision to aim for the draft in their rebuild, and have used their hard-earned draft picks wisely.

That sentiment echoes throughout the league, especially those who've taken the time to watch the young prospects find their footing in the bigs.

The Wizards are fun! pic.twitter.com/sFzPKnsQ9Z
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) February 13, 2025

Despite their constant languishing, this could be the team's third #1 pick in the 21st century. They went with Kwame Brown in 2001 after winning that year's lottery, and actually struck gold in 2010 in going with John Wall at the top of the order.

The Jazz and the Hornets, the Wizards' chief rivals for the time being, have combined for zero such wins in the combined history of the two franchises. While the Jazz have spent the majority of their time playing competent basketball and building up their own stars later in the draft, the Hornets have been flat-out unlucky.

These teams should consider themselves lucky for the masses rooting for one of these perennial losers to win the #1 pick, given the sheer amount of teams the public have their own reasons against.

The San Antonio Spurs, famous for their lottery luck, are seen as gluttons for already having cashed in on David Robinson, Tim Duncan and Victor Wembanyama. The Philadelphia 76ers never intended on ending their season here after their title aspirations were quickly whisked away by a series of injuries to their stars and poor decision making from the front office, while the Dallas Mavericks, as Simmons points out, have as little karma as anyone for trading away Luka Doncic in the way that they did.

This is about as close the team can get to approaching national attention, which will only increase if they end the night getting what they want. The numbered ping pong balls will decide where the team is set to finish, and whatever happens, the Wizards still stand confidently on what they've done in getting here.

This article first appeared on Washington Wizards on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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