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There are always high stakes when the NBA Draft lottery commences. This year, however, those stakes are higher than normal. Neil DeGrasse Tyson recently explained to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith how the Cincinnati Bengals once beat the Seattle Seahawks on a game-winning field goal because of the Earth’s spin and the concurring gravitational pull. Well, that same gravitational pull could determine which team gets to select Victor Wembanyama in a couple months. The 2023 NBA Draft lottery will take place on May 16. The chaotic, randomized bounces of a few ping-pong balls will determine who selects 1-4 in June. A team who tanked all season could suddenly find itself sitting at No. 5. Meanwhile, for all we know, a team that genuinely tried to make the playoffs could end up with the best prospect since LeBron just… there for the taking. It’s an exciting and moderately absurd proposition. But this year the stakes are high not only because of Wembanyama, but because of the sheer volume of top-end talent around Wembanyama. There are several potential All-Stars lurking in the lottery range. Teams who get lucky will have plenty to celebrate, even if they don’t land the top pick.