As the season wore down and fans looked forward to this summer it wasn't unusual to see a Knicks jersey in the crowd crafted with Zion Williamson's name, the procession of losses bringing the team to as good of a chance as anyone of landing the prize of the 2019 NBA draft.
There were no handmade Knicks jerseys with DeAndre Hunter, Jarrett Culver or Coby White embroidered on the back. But when the NBA draft lottery is held Tuesday night at the Hilton Chicago the chances are very real that those players are the ones who could be fitted for a real Knicks jersey.
Even with the worst record in the NBA, the Knicks have only a 14-percent chance at the top pick _ the same as the Cavaliers and Suns. So while the franchise will be crossing fingers, holding good luck charms and praying hard, the reality is that they have to be ready for something less than the unusual skillset of Williamson, the 6-foot-7 bundle of athleticism that may be unlike any other player in the game.
