The last time the Chicago Bulls jumped up in the NBA Draft Lottery was in 2020 when they landed the fourth-overall pick and selected Patrick Williams. But 15 years ago, the jump was much more significant. It allowed them to draft hometown star Derrick Rose, and the odds look eerily similar this season.
When the Bulls lucked out and landed the first pick in 2008, they had the ninth-best odds and a 1.7 percent chance to do so. It was the second-greatest jump to first place in the history of the lottery. With Victor Wembanyama looming large this season, Chicago has the 11th-best chance to get him. However, thanks to the flattened lottery odds, their chance to nab the first pick looks similar at 1.8 percent.
Obviously, nothing will compare to getting the chance to draft Rose, as he was a Chicago-born kid. It was a movie-ready story that no one could have written any better. But landing Wembanyama would be the next best thing, and in the long run, it could result in a better end result for the Bulls.
Wembayama has been heralded as one of the greatest NBA prospects in the sport’s history. The 7-foot-3, 19-year-old big man has an eight-foot wingspan and is still only 19 years old.
The current Bulls roster is in a state of disarray. It reeks of a middle-of-the-pack team destined to spend its days fighting to stay in and around the Play-In Tournament. Drafting Wembanyama would completely change the outlook of the team.
Chicago would still have to decide whether to tear things down and build around Wembayama or simply add him to their current lineup, but their future would immediately brighten.
Is it likely that the Bulls will jump up and select Wembanyama? No. But it happened 15 years ago with Rose, and the odds look the same, so there’s always a chance it could happen again.
