NBA Draft 2012: New Orleans Hornets Score Big with No. 1 Pick

Can a team change their fortune for the better through the draft?

Well, the New Orleans Hornets are the latest team to capture the rights to the first-overall draft pick in the upcoming 2012 NBA Draft, and only time will tell if they are successful or not.

After going through a rebuilding season that saw them trade their best player, Chris Paul, to the Los Angeles Clippers, the Hornets can look to bring in a franchise player through the draft.

The Hornets did get some luck to fall their way as they beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards and the Charlotte Bobcats (who had worse records than the Hornets at the end of the season) and managed to hang on until the end of the lottery process.

With new owner Tom Benson in the fold and with a young coach in Monty Williams, the Hornets will have two great opportunities to build their team for the future. Additionally, Eric Gordon is a restricted free agent and maybe the Hornets could have some version of their own Big Three in the works pretty soon.

The top prospect coming into the draft without question is Anthony Davis from the University of Kentucky. Davis led his team to a national championship and showed his presence as a defender by blocking shots and being a beast on the boards. Offensively his game is still forming but his all-around game should improve, based on the potential he showed in college.

The Hornets now control their own destiny as it remains to be seen what the organization decides to do moving forward with the draft and in free agency.