NBA Lottery 2014: Updated Draft Order and 1st-Round Predictions
Tuesday night’s 2014 NBA draft lottery to determine the order of the first 14 picks was an exciting event, but the focus has already shifted to the Thursday, June 26, draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
With the Cleveland Cavaliers being awarded the No. 1 overall pick for the third time in the last four years, the speculation and controversy about the lottery being rigged has started and it is now officially NBA draft season.
Here are the complete results for the draft lottery presented in a great infographic from Bleacher Report, the full draft order and first-round predictions.
| 1 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Andrew Wiggins | Kansas |
| 2 | Milwaukee Bucks | Joel Embiid | Kansas |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | Jabari Parker | Duke |
| 4 | Orlando Magic | Dante Exum | Australia |
| 5 | Utah Jazz | Julius Randle | Kentucky |
| 6 | Boston Celtics | Aaron Gordon | Arizona |
| 7 | Los Angeles Lakers | Noah Vonleh | Indiana |
| 8 | Sacramento Kings | Marcus Smart | Oklahoma State |
| 9 | Charlotte Hornets | Doug McDermott | Creighton |
| 10 | Philadelphia 76ers | Nik Stauskas | Michigan |
| 11 | Denver Nuggets | Gary Harris | Michigan State |
| 12 | Orlando Magic | Dario Saric | Croatia |
| 13 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Rodney Hood | Duke |
| 14 | Phoenix Suns | James Young | Kentucky |
| 15 | Atlanta Hawks | Tyler Ennis | Syracuse |
| 16 | Chicago Bulls | Adreian Payne | Michigan State |
| 17 | Boston Celtics | Zach LaVine | UCLA |
| 18 | Phoenix Suns | Jerami Grant | Syracuse |
| 19 | Chicago Bulls | T.J. Warren | NC State |
| 20 | Toronto Raptors | Kyle Anderson | UCLA |
| 21 | Oklahoma City Thunder | P.J. Hairston | UNC/Texas Legends |
| 22 | Memphis Grizzlies | Jusuf Nurkic | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| 23 | Utah Jazz | K.J. McDaniels | Clemson |
| 24 | Charlotte Hornets | Cleanthony Early | Wichita State |
| 25 | Houston Rockets | Jordan Adams | UCLA |
| 26 | Miami Heat | Shabazz Napier | Connecticut |
| 27 | Phoenix Suns | Clint Capela | Switzerland |
| 28 | Los Angeles Clippers | Elfrid Payton | Louisiana-Lafayette |
| 29 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Mitch McGary | Michigan |
| 30 | San Antonio Spurs | C.J. Wilcox | Washington |
First-Round Pick to Watch: Jabari Parker, Forward, Duke
While top prospects and Kansas teammates Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid are stealing many of the headlines, another star in this year’s draft class is Duke freshman Jabari Parker.
Many experts would argue that Wiggins has more upside than Parker, but the Duke forward is the prospect in the 2014 class most ready to step into the NBA and make an instant impact.
During Parker’s first and only season with the Blue Devils, he filled up the stat sheet, averaging 19.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per game. As one of the smartest players on the court, he put himself in positions to succeed.
Parker is a smart man off the court as well. When the young player announced he was leaving Duke for the NBA, he wrote an engaging article for Sports Illustrated expressing why he was making his decision:
"Coach K told me I needed to do what's best for me and that I will always be a part of the Duke family. We talked about the next steps. We discussed everything from agents, to workouts to USA Basketball. What I appreciated most was his support and friendship.
Today I sent my letter of intent to the NBA. That makes it official -- my days as a Duke basketball player are over.
But my days as a Duke student are not. I intend to graduate from Duke while I'm in the NBA. I was an honor student when I arrived at Duke, and I'd like to graduate as one.
"
Those are some mature words for a 19-year-old man.
There is also no denying the fact that Parker is a great wing player and will translate that skill to the NBA. He can score from anywhere on the floor, has great court vision to make the smart passes and can be a tenacious rebounder on the offensive glass.
Utah Jazz radio personality David Locke is a proponent for Parker:
There are a few fair criticisms about the player, though. Parker was inconsistent during his first season with Duke, and there will be the typical adjustment period as he acclimates to the NBA.
Add in questions about his conditioning, and Parker could slip out of the top two spots in the draft. With the Philadelphia 76ers sitting at No. 3 overall, Parker would find an ideal landing spot in the City of Brotherly Love.
Philadelphia already boasts talented young players like Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel, and adding a potential star like Parker to the mix would give the 76ers an incredibly bright future.
Predicted Landing Spot: Philadelphia 76ers at No. 3 Overall
*Stats via NBA.com.
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