Scottie Barnes is set to bring some good fortune to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday afternoon. The NBA announced on Saturday that the All-Star forward will represent the team during the live portion of the NBA’s draft lottery at 3 p.m. ET.
In 2021, the Raptors experienced a stroke of luck when they moved up from the 7th spot in the lottery to secure the 4th pick in the NBA draft, with Fred VanVleet representing the team via video chat during the lottery.
This year’s draft lottery holds significant importance for Toronto, as they have a 45.8% chance of retaining their first-round pick. To avoid sending the pick to the San Antonio Spurs as part of the Jakob Poeltl trade, they need to secure a top-six pick, with a 37.2% chance of landing in the top four and a 9% chance of snagging the number one spot.
Assistant General Manager Dan Tolzman will represent Toronto in the drawing room during the official draft lottery process. San Antonio’s General Manager Brian Wright will be on stage representing the Spurs, while Brandon Leisbohn, the team’s senior manager of basketball strategy and legal affairs, will be in the drawing room.
Last year, Toronto entered the draft lottery as the 13th team and maintained their position, eventually selecting Gradey Dick in the first round. In addition to their potential lottery pick, the Raptors also hold the 21st pick from Indiana and the 31st pick from Detroit.
