The Orlando Magic are hoping a small change to their NBA Draft Lottery delegation will improve their odds of winning the top pick, reports Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.
In previous seasons, the Magic have stationed Pat Williams, their Senior Vice President, on the dais the night of the lottery. In 2015, however, team CEO Alex Martins will represent Orlando in the TV broadcast, while Williams will move "to the top-secret nerve center" of the Lottery, says Schmitz. This decision brings Williams closer to the actual ping-pong balls used in the drawing.
Williams has helped Orlando win the Draft Lottery three times, earning him a reputation as a good-luck charm of sorts. He was present in 1992, 1993, and 2004, the results of which Lotteries granted the Magic the rights to select Shaquille O'Neal, Penny Hardaway, and Dwight Howard, respectively.
But that luck hasn't held up recently. In 2013, the Magic had the best odds of winning the Lottery, but slipped to second. In 2014, they owned the third-best odds, yet found themselves selecting fourth. Those picks netted Victor Oladipo and Aaron Gordon, two solid prospects, but the Magic would certainly prefer to move up or at least hold their position in 2015.
It won't be easy: at 8.8 percent, Orlando has the fifth-best odds of winning the Lottery, and a 29.2 percent chance of placing in the top three.
The 2015 NBA Draft Lottery is set for May 19th.
