The New Orleans Pelicans received a great gift in the lottery. Here are five reasons Zion Williamson is a no-brainer as the No. 1 pick of the 2019 NBA Draft.
The New Orleans Pelicans inflicted yet another emotional swing on their city full of fans Tuesday night. From DeMarcus Cousins’ injury to the Saints being robbed of a Super Bowl berth to Anthony Davis clumsily demanding a trade, this fanbase has been through a lot lately.
For all of the lows, the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery was an opportunity for some highs. The Pelicans, including new executive vice president David Griffin, were hoping that one of their trade suitors found themselves in possession of a high draft pick to sweeten the offers for Anthony Davis. That happened, as the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers both ended up in the top-four, while the Boston Celtics retained future rights to the Memphis Grizzlies pick (top-six protected next year) and secured a lottery pick at No. 14 from the Sacramento Kings.
Yet what the Pelicans surely did not expect, although certainly they hoped for, was to jump up themselves. They did so, propelled all the way to the top of the draft. For the second time in the past decade, the Pelicans will have the first overall pick in a year when a generational talent enters the draft. Just as their last franchise cornerstone demands a trade, the opportunity to snag a new one looms.
Now Griffin and company have to decide how to move forward, with Davis and with filling out their roster in a way that helps them meet their goals. Luckily they don’t need to stress about their first round pick any longer. There is one and only one option with the No. 1 pick. Here are five reasons why Zion Williamson is a no-brainer at the top of the draft order.