NBA Draft Recap: Lottery Teams That Turned Themselves into Contenders
The New Orleans Hornets turned themselves into a playoff contender on Thursday night, selecting Kentucky power forward Anthony Davis and Duke shooting guard Austin Rivers in the Top 10 of the 2012 NBA Draft.
The combination of a defensive-minded interior presence and an outside shooting threat with a smooth handle will boost the Hornets from the Western Conference dweller in 2012-13 and into the the crowded playoff race.
New Orleans wasn't the only lottery team to morph themselves from pretender to contender in the course of the lottery, though. Here are the lottery teams that turned themselves into contenders on Thursday night.
New Orleans Hornets
The New Orleans Hornets selecting Anthony Davis No. 1 overall was anything but a surprise, but that doesn't take away from how mighty a pickup it actually is. Davis' intensity and desire to be great will elevate the entire Hornets roster next season.
In addition to Davis' motor and drive, the 6'10" power forward brings an incredible and unique physical element to the table.Davis can swat shots and slam home alley-oops from pretty much every angle. His athleticism will present matchup nightmares for the opposition for years to come.
New Orleans added a combo guard in Austin Rivers with the No. 10 pick. Rivers is a shooter with excellent range and also a strong player off the dribble. Rivers can create his own shot and set up others with his penetration.
The Hornets may have reached for Rivers, but they certainly had a quality lottery and turned themselves into future contenders in the process.
Portland Trail Blazers
Like the New Orleans Hornets, the Portland Trail Blazers had two picks in the lottery in 2012 and certainly made the most of them. Portland drafted Weber State scoring point guard Damian Lillard No. 6 overall to help their point guard situation, and then acquired Illinois big man Meyers Leonard at No. 11 to pair seven-foot potential alongside All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge.
The combo of Leonard and Aldridge in the post should help the Trail Blazers challenge in the West next season. Portland now has one of the more intimidating frontcourts in basketball and is built to succeed long-term with young prospects filling the paint.
Like Leonard, Lillard will need some time to develop in order to become a more well-rounded player, but he still has the potential to contribute right away and become an All-Star down the road exists.
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons lucked out tremendously on Thursday night, as Connecticut's Andre Drummond slipped all the way to No. 9.
Detroit now has an athletic, young center to pair with the dominant Greg Monroe in the frontcourt. Monroe is a double-double machine, and Drummond could easily develop into the same sort of player with experience and growth.
Drummond will surely be able to contribute to Detroit's efforts to reach the playoffs right away with his defensive game, shot-blocking ability and rebounding prowess. The Pistons' lottery luck will increase their chances in the Eastern Conference next season without question, as they are a young team with promise and plenty of pieces to win now.
2012 NBA Draft Lottery (courtesy of ESPN.com):
| Pick # | Team | Player |
| No. 1 | New Orleans Hornets | Anthony Davis |
| No. 2 | Charlotte Bobcats | Michael Kidd-Gilchrist |
| No. 3 | Washington Wizards | Bradley Beal |
| No. 4 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Dion Waiters |
| No. 5 | Sacramento Kings | Thomas Robinson |
| No. 6 | Portland Trail Blazers | Damian Lillard |
| No. 7 | Golden State Warriors | Harrison Barnes |
| No. 8 | Toronto Raptors | Terrence Ross |
| No. 9 | Detroit Pistons | Andre Drummond |
| No. 10 | New Orleans Hornets | Austin Rivers |
| No. 11 | Portland Trail Blazers | Meyers Leonard |
| No. 12 | Houston Rockets | Jeremy Lamb |
| No. 13 | Phoenix Suns | Kendall Marshall |
| No. 14 | Milwaukee Bucks | John Henson |
Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter for more reaction to the 2012 NBA Draft.
