WIZARDS WIN DRAFT LOTTERY

SECAUCUS, N.J.

With his championship ring on her hand and her late husband’s dreams of another on her mind, Irene Pollin stood in shock as the Washington Wizards won the draft lottery. Towering over her to the side, Mikhail Prokhorov watched the New Jersey Nets lose yet again. The Wizards won the draft lottery Tuesday night, moving up from the No. 5 spot to earn the top pick in next month’s draft, when it will likely choose between Kentucky freshman John Wall and national player of the year Evan Turner of Ohio State. Washington was represented by Irene Pollin, who wore the 1978 Bullets championship ring of her late husband, longtime owner Abe Pollin. When the Wizards pulled off the surprising win, her jaw dropped and appeared to mouth ’Oh my God!!’ with wide eyes. Abe Pollin died at age 85 in November. The Philadelphia 76ers grabbed the No. 2 pick. The Nets continued the run of failure by teams with the best chance of winning, falling to the third.

Associated Press