Atlanta Hawks: Zion Dream Done, Yet Hope and Options Remain

The NBA Draft world watched with eager anticipation as the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery results were read. When the envelope for pick number ten was opened and the Atlanta Hawks logo was revealed, Hawks fans let out a sigh of relief. That relief quickly turned into disappointment, as the Atlanta Hawks own pick was revealed at number eight. Yet all is not lost, as the team has a plethora of options with two top ten draft picks.

Prior to the results of the lottery being announced, Atlanta Hawks fans were in a frenzy. The scene was dramatic, as Zion Williamson did a double tap on the Hawks draft lottery station table, when he entered the room where the drawing was held. This seemed to signify that Williamson, who is from Spartanburg, South Carolina, was rooting for Atlanta to win the draft lottery. Disappointment now abounds among Atlanta fans, as the team will not have the opportunity to draft phenom Zion Williamson, with the NBA has revealing the results of the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery. Fans are expressing everything from sadness, to conspiracy theories about the NBA being against the Atlanta Hawks. In actuality, the plan the NBA concocted to discourage teams from tanking, was a rousing success. Unfortunately it just didn’t work out with the best possible result for the Atlanta Hawks.

The Atlanta Hawks came into the draft lottery with better odds to get the top draft pick under the new NBA lottery system. Under the previous system, Atlanta would have had an 8.8 percent chance to win the number one overall pick. Instead the Hawks had a 10.5 percent chance of obtaining the top pick and the chance to select Zion Williamson. The other new thing was, the NBA drew four picks in under the new system before ordering the teams by record. Under the old system, only three picks were chosen. Instead the odds did not work out in the Hawks favor and three teams with lesser odds jumped in front of Atlanta.