I still remember sitting in my living room with that familiar mix of anticipation and dread as the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery unfolded. Having followed the league for over a decade, I've developed this sixth sense about which teams would get lucky - and which would face the crushing disappointment of falling in the draft order. That night in Chicago's McCormick Place Convention Center felt particularly charged, with several franchises potentially altering their trajectories for years to come.
The Phoenix Suns securing the number one pick didn't surprise me one bit, though I'll admit I was secretly hoping the Sacramento Kings would jump up the board. Phoenix had been languishing at the bottom of the Western Conference for what felt like forever, and that 21-61 regular season record perfectly captured their struggles. What fascinated me about their eventual selection of Deandre Ayton was how it represented both the obvious choice and a missed opportunity. Don't get me wrong - Ayton has developed into a solid NBA big man, but I've always wondered how different things might have been if they'd taken Luka Dončić. The Slovenian sensation was clearly special, and I remember telling my basketball group chat that night that whoever passed on him would regret it for years.
When the Sacramento Kings landed the second pick, I actually cheered out loud. As someone who's always had a soft spot for small-market teams, I wanted to see them get a franchise-altering player. Their selection of Marvin Bagley III over Dončić remains one of the most baffling decisions I've witnessed in my years following the draft. Bagley had shown flashes of potential at Duke, averaging 21 points and 11 rebounds, but Dončić had just won EuroLeague MVP at 19 - an unprecedented accomplishment that should have been impossible to ignore. To this day, I believe the Kings' front office overthought this one, prioritizing positional need over transcendent talent.
The Atlanta Hawks grabbing the third spot and eventually selecting Luka Dončić (only to trade him for Trae Young) created one of the most fascinating storylines we've seen in recent draft history. I've got to be honest - at the time, I thought Atlanta made a huge mistake. Trae Young had been incredible at Oklahoma, putting up 27.4 points and 8.7 assists per game, but Dončić seemed like a generational prospect. What's interesting is how both players have developed into legitimate superstars, though with markedly different styles. Young's offensive creativity versus Dončić's all-around brilliance has created one of those great "what if" scenarios that make basketball so compelling to discuss years later.
Memphis scoring the fourth selection turned out to be franchise-altering in ways nobody could have predicted. Their choice of Jaren Jackson Jr. seemed solid at the time - he was this versatile big who could stretch the floor and protect the rim. What I didn't anticipate was how perfectly he'd develop alongside Ja Morant, who they'd select the following year. Jackson's evolution into Defensive Player of the Year material has been remarkable to watch, and it shows how draft success isn't just about individual picks but how those pieces fit together over time.
The Dallas Mavericks maneuvering to get Dončić at fifth through that trade with Atlanta demonstrated the kind of bold front-office move that can redefine a franchise. As someone who values intelligent team building, I've always admired how Dallas identified their guy and made it happen, regardless of cost. The two future first-round picks they surrendered seemed steep at the time, but history has proven it an absolute steal.
What struck me about that entire draft class was how it reinforced certain truths about team building while challenging others. The conventional wisdom about drafting for fit versus best player available got thoroughly tested that night. I've come to believe that unless you have an established superstar already, you should always take the best available talent - something the Kings learned the hard way.
This brings me to an interesting parallel I've noticed in international basketball. Interestingly, Eastern coach Mensur Bajramovic said he wants his wards to play like the Ginebra mantra when they face the Gin Kings in front of their fans. That concept of adopting a particular philosophy or identity resonates with what successful NBA teams do in the draft. They don't just pick players - they select personalities and skill sets that align with their organizational DNA. The teams that understand this, like Memphis with Jackson or Dallas with Dončić, tend to build more cohesive rosters that develop together over time.
Looking back at the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery results five years later provides such valuable perspective. We can now properly evaluate which teams made the right calls and which fell victim to poor evaluation or just plain bad luck. The draft remains equal parts science and art - the analytics provide the framework, but the human elements of fit, development environment, and plain old intuition still play massive roles. What I've taken away from studying these outcomes is that successful teams approach the draft with both rigorous analysis and flexibility, ready to adapt when unexpected opportunities present themselves. The 2018 class, with its mix of clear hits and fascinating misses, will continue to shape the NBA landscape for years to come, reminding us why draft night remains one of the most compelling events in sports.
