Atlanta Hawks land first-ever No. 1 pick in NBA draft, besting 3% odds

The Atlanta Hawks won the NBA draft lottery on Sunday, landing the No. 1 pick and a potential cornerstone player.
Atlanta Hawks general manager Landry Fields, right, and NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum pose for photos after Tatum announced that the Hawks had won the first pick in the NBA draft, during the draft lottery in Chicago, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

The Atlanta Hawks came in facing slim odds. They walked away with their biggest victory in years.

The Hawks won the NBA draft lottery on Sunday, landing the No. 1 pick and a potential cornerstone player in a year where there’s no clear-cut choice.

“At least I can go home and tell my wife on Mother’s Day, ‘Hey, at least we won the lottery,'” general manager Landry Fields said. “That’s her present. Yeah, there we go.”