NEW YORK — The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the odds for the second time in three years by winning Tuesday's lottery to give them the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.
The Orlando Magic fell back one spot to No. 2, while the Washington Wizards vaulted from the No. 8 spot to third.
It was 16-year-old Nick Gilbert, son of the team's owner, who again proved the lucky charm for the Cavaliers.
Representing the team for the ceremony, Gilbert was handed the No.1 pick, just as he was in 2011, when the Cavs used the selection to take eventual Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving.
"Kyrie is a hell of a player ... but this also felt almost as good," Nick Gilbert said. "That was the first time. This is the second time, but man does it feel good to get the first pick this last time. Get that last player to give us a push."
Ten years after winning the lottery that landed them LeBron James, the Cavaliers picked up another opportunity to help speed up the rebuilding process since his departure to Miami in 2010.
"It's so long ago already. I knew it is only three years but in NBA years it's like dog years. It seems like it is 15 or 20 years," owner Dan Gilbert said. "We've been just so focused on building the team the last few years, I can't look back. There is nothing you can do. I am just happy about today."
The potential No. 1 pick this year, Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel, is no James. But he could be a nice addition for the Cavs once he's recovered from a serious knee injury. They also have Nos. 19, 31 and 33 for new coach Mike Brown, who they rehired after firing Byron Scott following a 24-58 season.
"We were hoping regardless of what pick we got that this would be our last lottery," Dan Gilbert said. "We thought originally after everything had to be reset that it would be a three-year process. You never know. It could be four. We thought three years, but having No. 1 and 19, we've got a pretty good chance of this being the last one for a while."