SmashMouth

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry was the first person in the secure conference room where the NBA lottery was held. He took his seat and pulled out a small notepad branded with the Pelicans logo on it.

He pulled out a pen and wrote a simple message in all caps, “THIS IS OUR MOMENT!”

Gentry had a feeling. Maybe it was the talks he had with Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin, maybe it was something else, but when Gentry entered the room, he felt good about New Orleans’ chances.



So when the time came for the announcement, he was already excited. Then the numbers – the four numbers needed to give a team the winning combination – started to rattle off.

The first number hit – seven.

Then the second – four.

Then the third – 12.

Gentry fumbled through the paperwork as the fourth number was called. It was 13. He was searching and searching, but he couldn’t find it. Did they just win? Did the Pelicans really just win the lottery? He honestly didn’t know.

Then, he heard it. Those sweet, sweet words.

“New Orleans."

He leaned back in his chair and threw up his hands.

"Congratulations to New Orleans for winning the first pick in the 2019 NBA Lottery.”

Gentry leapt up with excitement and let out a hearty “(Expletive) yeah!”

That drew laughter from the room. It might have been nervous laughter. It might have been trying to chuckle away the feeling that everyone else in the room had at losing out on the top pick. But Gentry walked around and received high-fives anyway.

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