Orlando Magic Win 2022 NBA Draft Lottery, Jabari Smith Jr. Favorite to Go No. 1

The Orlando Magic were the lucky winners of the NBA draft lottery Tuesday night, giving them the top overall pick in June's NBA draft. The Oklahoma City Thunder will select second, with the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings and Detroit Pistons rounding out the top five.

The early leader to be the top overall pick is Auburn's Jabari Smith Jr.:

Other likely considerations for the top overall selection are expected to be Gonzaga big man Chet Holmgren—who played with Magic guard Jalen Suggs at Minnehaha (Minneapolis) Academy—and Duke forward Paolo Banchero:

As for the Magic, they've nailed every draft for which they've held the top overall pick.

In 2014, they selected future Hall of Famer Dwight Howard at No. 1. In 1993, they selected Hall of Famer Chris Webber, though they traded him to the Golden State Warriors for Penny Hardaway—the No. 3 overall pick in that draft—and a slew of future picks.

While Hardaway's career was ultimately beset by injuries, he was still a four-time All-Star and two-time first-team All-NBA selection who helped the Magic reach the playoffs five times and the NBA Finals. He was also a much better fit with the team's franchise player at the time.

That player—and Hardaway's running mate on that Finals team—was of course the top overall pick in the 1992 draft, Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal. While all four of O'Neal's championships came after he left the Magic, he still dominated in his four years with the franchise and was a home run selection.

So the top overall pick has treated Orlando well in the past. If they nail it this year, the Magic will be in good shape with an intriguing young core centered around Suggs, Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr. and Cole Anthony.