Top 5 teams that are contenders for No. 1 overall pick to draft Victor Wembanyama

With 25 games left, it'll slowly be clear which team will end up getting Victor Wembanyama on June 22. The final stretch of the NBA season will begin Thursday, and the race to get the first pick of the draft has become tighter.

Out of the 14 teams that will be in the lottery, there are five teams that have a huge chance of landing the 7-foot-3 Frenchman in the 2023 NBA draft. Let's take a look at each team and explore their case for landing Wemby.

All 14 teams that don't make the playoffs will have a chance of landing the No. 1 pick in the May 16 lottery. However, in the lottery system, the teams that finish with the worst three records will all have a 14.0% chance of landing the top pick. The team with the fourth-worst record will have a 12.5% chance.

The team with the fifth-worst record will have a 10.5% chance, with the odds descending through No. 14 (0.5%).

A year ago, the Orlando Magic had the second-worst record, but with an equal chance of landing the No. 1 pick as the Houston Rockets, who had the league's worst record, Orlando won the lottery. The OKC Thunder, who finished with the fourth-worst record and had a 12.5% chance, landed the second pick.

Houston picked third. So, finishing dead last didn't guarantee the top pick. That wasn't a huge blow last season, as Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren and Jabari Smith Jr. were all in the top tier. This year, though, a similar occurrence would be devastating.

Meanwhile, the Sacramento Kings, who finished with the seventh-worst record and had a 7.5% chance at the No. 1 pick in the lottery, received the No. 4 pick.

This season, there is a tight pack of four teams at the bottom of the standings: the Rockets (13-45), San Antonio Spurs (14-45), Detroit Pistons (15-44) and Charlotte Hornets (17-43). It's almost inconceivable that those teams will not finish in the bottom four. Three will get that 14.0% chance, while one will end up with a 12.5% chance.

Also read: How tall is Victor Wembanyama? How does he compare to legendary centers who have played in NBA?

#5, Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic had the top pick last year, which resulted in them drafting Paolo Banchero.

Orlando started off 5-20 this season, causing the Magic to slump to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. But Orlando has gone 19-15 since early December and is on the rise.

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If the season were to end today, however, the Magic would have a 10.5% chance of landing the top pick in the lottery and, thus, Wemby, in the draft a month later. But with the way Orlando is playing, the Magic could rise several spots and even challenge for the franchise's first playoff berth since 2020.

#4, Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets have struggled to find stability this season as their All-Star point guard has been in and out of the lineup due to injuries. The Hornets' front office have not done a great job in surrounding LaMelo Ball with enough talent, despite them winning 43 games last season.

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Due to them not being able to capitalize on their success last season, they're squarely in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes. If the lottery were held today, they'd have a 12.5% chance at the top pick.

#3, Detroit Pistons

Having one of the NBA's best young cores, the Detroit Pistons could look to add another piece to their bright future. They have three lottery players from the past two drafts, and adding another could increase their chances of becoming a threat in the East.

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The Pistons look focused on their pursuit of Wemby, even trading Saddiq Bey, who's one of their best young talents.

#2, San Antonio Spurs

Since the start of the season, the San Antonio Spurs have been linked to being a possible landing spot for Victor Wembanyama. After all, he used to play for Tony Parker's team, ASVEL Basket. They haven't been in the playoffs in the past three seasons, and it's looking like they're capitalizing on honing the skills of their young core.

Similar to the Pistons, San Antonio would have a 14% chance in getting the first pick in June, given the current standings.

#1, Houston Rockets

The last team in the race for the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes is the Houston Rockets. They've been consistently terrible this season, winning only 13 games. Houston has also traded its veteran, focusing on its rebuild.