SECAUCUS, New Jersey, May 24 - The Milwaukee Bucks beat the odds and won the National Basketball Association draft lottery and the No 1 pick in the 2005 entry draft.
The Bucks went 30-52 this season and had a 6.3 percent chance of winning the lottery, a probability surpassed by five teams.
However, the ping-pong balls bounced their way for the first time in 11 years on Tuesday.
Milwaukee manager Larry Harris’ carried a fishing lure and a woman’s wrist band as good luck charms.
``I’m really nervous because I didn’t expect to win,’’ he said.
The Bucks won over the league-worst Atlanta Hawks (13-69), who had a 25 percent chance of winning but will have the second pick, and the Portland Trail Blazers (27-55), who also crashed into the top three.
Now comes the hard part for Harris - determining the best player for the Bucks in the June 28 draft that does not have a clear-cut top overall pick.
Milwaukee needs to fortify its frontcourt and could opt for Australian 7ft centre Andrew Bogut of the University of Utah, who probably is the most complete player in the draft.
However, the Bucks also have question marks at point guard, where 2003 first-round pick TJ Ford is slowly rehabilitating following back surgery, and at shooting guard, where leading scorer Michael Redd is a free agent and may be seeking a maximum contract.
Other players expected to be high lottery picks are collegiate underclassmen Chris Paul of Wake Forest, a point guard, and Marvin Williams of North Carolina, a small forward.
The Bucks also won the lottery in 1994 and selected forward Glenn Robinson, who became a perennial 20-point scorer and two-time All-Star.
Prior to the institution of the lottery in 1985, Milwaukee twice held the top overall pick, taking Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) in 1969 and Kent Benson in 1977.
Drawings are held to determine the top three teams, with the remaining 11 teams that missed the playoffs put in inverse order of record. Had form held, the Bucks would have picked sixth.
After narrowly avoiding a 70-loss season, the Hawks will have to take solace in the second pick.
Last year, they used the sixth overall pick on swingman Josh Childress, the only position were they do not need help.
The Trail Blazers had the NBA’s fifth-worst record but could get well in a hurry.
In addition to the third pick, they have a nucleus of good young players led by power forward Zach Randolph and nearly 40 million dollar coming off their salary cap.
Bumped out of the top three were the New Orleans Hornets (18-64), who will pick fourth, and the Charlotte Bobcats (18-64), who will select fifth.
The rest of the lottery order is Utah (26-56), Toronto (33-49), New York (33-49), Golden State (34-48), the Los Angeles Lakers (34-48), Orlando (36-46), the Los Angeles Clippers (37-45), Charlotte from Cleveland (42-40) and Minnesota (44-38).
Last year, Orlando had the first pick and chose high school forward Dwight Howard, who made the All-Rookie Team.
Ha stupid Hawks, screwed again.
Hope they get Andrew Bogut, the knicks need someone like andrew bogut. He could really help down low. Ever since Patrick left no one’s been able to fill his shoes. Poor knicks