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- The 2019 NBA draft order has been decided.
- Duke star Zion Williamson is the presumed top pick, and the 2019 draft class is considered top-heavy.
- We surveyed seven experts’ mock drafts to come up with consensus picks on how the draft may play out.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
The NBA draft order has been decided after a wild lottery drawing.
Against the odds, the New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies, and Los Angeles Lakers all climbed into the top four, with the Pelicans securing the No. 1 pick.
Read more: The biggest winners and losers of the wildest draft lottery in NBA history
This year’s draft class is headlined by Zion Williamson, the Duke superstar who is almost guaranteed to go No. 1.
After Williamson, many expect this to be a top-heavy class that could see lots of movement after the first few picks.
To get a sense of how the draft may play out, we found consensus picks among seven experts’ mock drafts. Our experts: Jonathan Givony of ESPN, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, The Ringer, Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated, Ricky O’Donnell of SB Nation, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, and Gary Parrish of CBS.
Check out what the experts are predicting for the 2019 NBA draft below:
1. New Orleans Pelicans — Zion Williamson, F
AP Photo/Gerry Broome
School: Duke
Age: 18
Other possibilities: none
Expert quote: From Givony: "We’ve never seen a prospect quite like him in terms of his combination of productivity, athleticism, competitiveness, skill and feel for the game — not to mention the sheer star power he’ll bring."
2. Memphis Grizzlies — Ja Morant, G
Jessica Hill/AP
School: Murray State
Age: 19
Other possibilities: R.J. Barrett (G/F, Duke)
Expert quote: From Vecenie: "He’s an elite player off of a live dribble, due largely to his tight handle, terrific of change of pace, and ability to change direction without slowing down. It’s my opinion that Morant will enter the NBA immediately as one of the top 10 passers in the league."
3. New York Knicks — R.J. Barrett, F
Sean Rayford/AP
School: Duke
Age: 18
Other possibilities: Ja Morant (G, Murray State)
Expert quote: From Woo: "While he does come with some warts, Barrett is a consensus top-three choice in the minds of most teams, and seems bound to post big point totals in the NBA."
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
- The biggest winners and losers of the wildest draft lottery in NBA history
- The New Orleans Pelicans ticket office went berserk when they won the NBA Draft Lottery and the rights to Zion Williamson
- The NBA draft order is official, and the new lottery odds threw a major wrench into things as the Pelicans landed the No. 1 pick
Source: Business Insider – sdavis@businessinsider.com (Scott Davis)