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The Minnesota Timberwolves too often came to the NBA draft lottery and left in worse shape than they arrived.
And when they finally ended years of lottery futility, it came from the spot where nobody had been winning.
The Timberwolves won the lottery Tuesday night, the first time since 2004 the team with the worst record earned the No. 1 pick.

After years of bad luck, things finally worked out for the Wolves, who can perhaps choose between big men Karl-Anthony Towns of Kentucky and Jahlil Okafor of national champion Duke to put next to Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins.
“We’re in this for big stakes,” said Flip Saunders, the Wolves’ president and coach. “The big thing about this is getting good talent that can blend together. This is another big step.”
The Los Angeles Lakers moved from the fourth spot to second, keeping a pick they would have sent to Philadelphia if they fell outside the top five. The 76ers are third followed by the New York Knicks, who had the second-best odds of winning but instead fell to fourth 30 years after winning the first lottery and drafting Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing.

Not since Orlando won the right to pick Dwight Howard in 2004 had the NBA’s ultimate game of chance came out in favour of the team with the best odds. The Timberwolves had a 25 per cent chance of landing the top pick in the draft to be held in New York on June 25, after finishing 16-66.
But their fans knew not to get their hopes up after the Wolves had fallen backward eight times previously, including both times they were in the pole position. A chance at Shaquille O’Neal turned into Christian Laettner in 1992, and they fell one spot in 2011 to miss out on Kyrie Irving.
“Today was very nerve wracking. I really didn’t anticipate that it would go this way,” owner Glen Taylor said. “People say you have a 25 per cent to win but I always look at it that there’s a 75 per cent chance that someone else is going to win. I just feel very honoured that we have the chance to be in this position.”
The lottery sets the top three picks. The remainder of the 14 non-playoff teams follow in inverse order of their won-loss record.
The lottery began 30 years ago as a way to discourage teams from losing on purpose as a way to secure the top pick.


Timberwolves win top pick in NBA draft lottery

Minnesota Timberwolves owner, Glen Taylor, left, talks with Los Angeles Lakers coach Byron Scott. Photo: AP

NBA basketball draft prospects, from left, D'Angelo Russell, Justice Winslow, Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor await the lottery. Photo: AP

Top prospect Karl-Anthony Towns might now be on Minnesota's shopping list. Photo: AP

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After years of bad luck, things finally worked out for the Wolves, who can perhaps choose between big men Karl-Anthony Towns of Kentucky and Jahlil Okafor of national champion Duke to put next to Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins


The Timberwolves won the lottery Tuesday night, the first time since 2004 the team with the worst record earned the No. 1 pick
