The real Dallas Mavericks might be tanking in an effort to get the top pick in this summer’s NBA Draft, but the team’s Esports endeavor just needed one ping pong ball to win its own draft lottery.
Mavs Gaming snagged the top pick in the NBA 2K League’s inaugural Draft Lottery on Tuesday afternoon. The league’s official Twitter account counted down the balls picked out of the machine on Tuesday afternoon, the same one used for the annual NBA Draft Lottery.
Though this draft lottery was a bit different — with no previous season to weigh odds from, each team had a single ball in the hopper and an equal chance of getting the top pick.
The 1st pick of the NBA 2K League Draft goes to @MavsGG
— NBA 2K League (@NBA2KLeague) March 13, 2018
Perhaps fittingly, the Golden State Warriors-sponsored team will pick last, nabbing the 17th pick on Tuesday. Though the 2K League has not had a champion crowned in its history, picking last is a familiar spot for the Warriors in real life. Second? The runner-up Cleveland Cavaliers.
The draft lottery is complete. Here is the order of picks for the inaugural NBA 2K League Draft on April 4! #NBA2KLeagueDraft pic.twitter.com/hLJzgUUExf
— NBA 2K League (@NBA2KLeague) March 13, 2018
Here’s the full draft order of the 17 teams that will take part in the league’s first season:
1) Dallas Mavericks
2) Boston Celtics
3) Utah Jazz
4) Sacramento Kings
5) Detroit Pistons
6) Portland Trail Blazers
7) Miami Heat
8) Orlando Magic
9) New York Knicks
10) Milwaukee Bucks
11) Toronto Raptors
12) Washington Wizards
13) Indiana Pacers
14) Philadelphia 76ers
15) Memphis Grizzlies
16) Cleveland Cavaliers
17) Golden State Warriors
The NBA 2K League Draft will be held next month on April 4 at 1 p.m. in the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where teams will have six rounds to pick from a pool of 102 gamers to make up the league’s first 17 rosters.
