Tonight, John Wall will head to Secaucus, N.J., to represent the Wizards in this year’s NBA lottery. It’s a strange celebration of the worst teams in basketball, all rubbing lucky charms while salivating over ping pong balls.
As far as those lucky charms go, the Wizards may have the best dressed one.
Last year, Irene Pollin wore her lucky yellow jacket and brought Abe’s 1978 championship ring as a good luck charm. Team President Ernie Grunfeld kept a gold soccer ball charm in his pocket, a gift from his late father.
John Wall, who was drafted thanks to that luck, understands the importance of such tokens, and has a few ideas of his own.
“I’m going to ask Mrs. Pollin if I can get that yellow jacket, and then get some pearls from my mom and see if I can bring on the No. 1 pick again,” Wall told the Washington Times.
We’ll find out tonight if he’s serious. We’re not sure yellow is John Wall’s color, but at least one person is a fan of the idea.
“I’d loan him the yellow jacket,” Irene Pollin said. “I would lend the ring, too.”
While some experts are calling this draft class one of the worst in the lottery era, it doesn’t stop our egos from wanting that top pick. The Wizards have an 11.9 percent chance of getting it.
Wizards fans are taking their superstitions quite seriously. Lucky jerseys, charmed tokens, and team hats are all going to be counted on heavily. Some are even trying to mirror last year exactly, eating the same meal and sitting in the same positions as they did when the Wizards nabbed the top pick and John Wall.
All of the teams in tonight’s lottery are bound to have some lucky charm or another. It’s just a matter of whose is the most powerful.
As for us, we had originally planned on being at the draft in person. Then, after thinking about it we realized that we weren’t there last year.
We’re not really superstitious. But why tempt fate?
Questions, comments or tips? Email Sarah at sarahskogod@gmail.com. You can also follow her on Twitter (@sarahschorno).
