LOTTO JACKPOT: In an event that proves the future direction of the NBA relies on nothing more than the way a ping-pong ball bounces, the Cleveland Caviliers last night won the NBA Draft Lottery, and with it the right to select Ohio native LeBron James #1 in next month's draft.
I suppose it's good for the league, and good for LeBron, that things worked out the way they did. The NBA has never been as big on "hometown heroes" the way baseball is, the Cavs (bad as they've been) do have some pieces in place and could contend next year, and for once the team with the worst record actually did get the top pick.
That doesn't change one fact, however: the lottery system is a joke. It's one thing to prevent teams from tanking in order to get #1, but didn't the Cavs (and Nuggets) do that anyway? And isn't it ridiculous that under the lottery, the team with the worst record has an almost-90% chance of not getting the top pick? And I'm not just bitter because of 1992, when the Timberwolves had the worst record in the league, were assigned the third pick rather than first by the lottery, and thus ended up with Christian Laettner as opposed to Shaquille O'Neal.
The lottery really should've been scrapped the following year, when Orlando had one ball and got the #1 pick. I mean, if the lottery had been in existence in 1984, the third pick might have gone to a team other than the Bulls- and right now there'd be a statue of Michael Jordan outside someone else's arena. The Washington Bullets, maybe?
The other funny thing is that LeBron signed a $90 million shoe contract, meaning that he is virtually certain to be paid more by Nike than by his team for at least the first five years of his career. True, for most of his career Jordan got more money from endorsements than for playing- but not when he was right out of high school.
Still, I think if LeBron can surround himself with the right people and grow up in the league the way Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett did, he'll do just fine. If only they can do something about those hideous new uniforms...