May 26, 2004

Unable to secure a top three pick in the NBA Draft Lottery, the Portland Trail Blazers will select 13th and 23rd in next month’s NBA Draft.

The Trail Blazers finished the 2003-04 season with a 41-41 record giving the club the 13th selection overall. Portland had a very small chance to move into one of the draft’s top three selections. There was a 0.60% chance Portland would get the first selection overall, a 0.71% chance for the second pick and a 0.87% chance for the third pick.

The Blazers would have received the 14th selection overall had the Utah Jazz moved into one of the first three selections. The 23rd pick overall was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies in a trade last December.

The 2004 NBA Draft will be the first time that Portland is participating in the lottery with their own pick. The Trail Blazers selected Shawn Respert eighth in 1995 with a draft choice acquired from the Detroit Pistons. Portland has two first round selections for the first time since 1986 when the club selected Walter Berry 14th overall and grabbed Arvydas Sabonis with the 24th pick.

Although the Blazers own the next to last Lottery selection, several players have gone on to find success after being picked 13th overall including Richard Jefferson (2001), Corey Maggette (1999), Derek Anderson (1997), Kobe Bryant (1996), Jalen Rose (1994) and Dale Davis (1991).

In addition to the two first round selections, the Trail Blazers own one second round selection, the 46th pick overall.

The 2004 NBA Draft will be held on Thursday, June 24th at 5pm (PDT).

Click here for a post-lottery interview with John Nash.

Click here for a list of players previously selected with the thirteenth pick.

Click here for a list of players previously selected with the twenty-third pick.

Vist Blazers Draft Central for the latest draft coverage