The 2012 NBA draft was held on June 28, 2012, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time, and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players. The New Orleans Hornets, who had a 13.70 percent probability of obtaining the first selection, won the NBA draft lottery on May 30. The Charlotte Bobcats and the Washington Wizards were second and third, respectively. This draft marked the first time that the first two players selected were from the same school. It also set a record of having six players from one school (Kentucky) being selected in the two rounds of the draft and was the first draft to have the first three selections be college freshmen all from the same conference. Bernard James was the oldest player drafted in an NBA draft, being 27 years old at the time of the draft.
2012 NBA draft
Anthony Davis was selected first by the New Orleans Hornets.
Bradley Beal was selected third by the Washington Wizards.
Damian Lillard was selected sixth by the Portland Trail Blazers.
The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference. The team plays its home games at the Smoothie King Center. Since 2014, the NBA officially considers New Orleans as an expansion team that began play in the 2002–03 NBA season.
Chris Paul, selected by the Hornets as the fourth pick of the 2005 NBA draft
Anthony Davis, seen here in 2014, was drafted first overall by the Pelicans in 2012 and subsequently became the focal point of the team for many years.
Alvin Gentry coached the team from 2015 to 2020
Zion Williamson