Chicago Bulls executive vice-president of business operations Steve Schanwald mugs for the cameras after his team won Tuesday's NBA draft lottery. (Bill Kostroun/Associated Press)The Chicago Bulls were the surprise winners of the NBA's annual draft lottery on Tuesday, moving up eight spots to claim the first overall selection.
Based on its regular-season finish, Chicago ranked ninth with just a 1.7 per cent chance of landing the top pick in the drawing at the NBA Entertainment offices in Secaucus, N.J.
"After this season, we needed a break and I think we just got one tonight," said Steve Schanwald, Bulls' executive vice-president of business operations, who represented the team.
The Miami Heat, who had a 25 per cent chance thanks to their league-worst 15-67 record, will pick second. Minnesota will go third, with Seattle and Memphis rounding out the top five.
The NBA draft will be held June 26 in New York, where Memphis guard Derrick Rose, a Chicago native, and Kansas State forward Michael Beasley are expected to be the top two selections. Both players just completed their freshman seasons in college.
Each of the 14 clubs that failed to make the playoffs this year were entered in the lottery. New York landed the No. 6 pick, while the Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee, Charlotte and New Jersey — represented at the lottery by rapper Jay Z — completed the draft's top 10.
Picks 11 through 14 went to Indiana, Sacramento, Portland and Golden State.
The Toronto Raptors, who fell to the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs, will choose 17th.
