For many people, the NBA Draft Lottery is the unofficial start of the basketball offseason. It sets up the framework of the draft itself, and allows armchair GMs from around the world to pencil in what players they think fit best at what slots. For some, the 2007 Draft Lottery broke hearts, just ask anyone in Boston, for others, like fans in the Northwest, it signaled the dawning of a new era.

I never have had much luck with actual lottery tickets myself, but when RealGM approached me about covering the 2007 Lottery for them I couldn?t pass up the opportunity. My ?ticket? actually wasn?t anything like a ticket, but rather a little piece of paper with my name on it that League officials promptly hung around my neck as I entered the door.

I was in.

Upon entering the huge tent setup outside the NBA Entertainment Studios in Secaucus, I immediately forgot about the nearly three-and-a-half hour drive from Southern Connecticut (obviously my TomTom didn?t take traffic into account). Having covered a handful of other events for RealGM in the past, I knew the drill. Grab a full plate of free food, courtesy of the NBA (what?s better than that?), and head to the ?Media Room? where I would be able to access the internet.

Despite the traffic and the impending Lottery, in the back of my mind was the Red Sox-Yankee game that made my travel through the Bronx a nightmare. As I powered on my laptop, I heard rumblings of a home run, but was still unsure of whom it belonged to. Soon after RealGM Editor Chris Reina messaged me, ?Yanks down 3-0 already.? That answered my question.

Passing through the halls of the NBA office in Secaucus was like revisiting my teenage years. The walls were cluttered with NBA magazine covers, and the occasional piece of historic memorabilia. I felt like calling up my Mother and explaining to her that I wasn?t the only one who filled my wall with hoop dreams, but I digress (these were not teenage boys, and neither am I).

As I take a seat with my plate of food, I notice Celtics? legend Tommy Heinsohn a few yards ahead of me. He?s got a plate of food that would make Bobby ?Bacala? blush. The coconscious around the room is that Boston is going to land the top pick, with Memphis a close second. As a Pacer fan, I?m hoping otherwise.

With the room seemingly pro-Boston, if not just in terms of nabbing Greg Oden, I hear Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan chime in from the corner of the room, ?If the Celtics get the top pick there?s no way they should take Greg Oden or Kevin Durant. They can?t pass up on Boston College forward Jared Dudley!?

Okay, that didn?t happen, but wouldn?t it have been something if it did?

While I take in the sights and enjoy my first-class meal a majority of my fellow members of the media are playing with ESPN?s Lottery Simulator as though it?s Christmas morning. Good thing I fooled around with RealGM?s Lottery Simulator for months leading up until the real thing. I think I clicked my way through every possible scenario; nothing would be able to surprise me tonight.

A few minutes before the Lottery hits the air, I walk onto the stage. I stop first to chat with Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy and fellow first-year standout Randy Foye. Foye admits that he has a good luck charm on his person, but won?t reveal exactly what it is. Roy acts like a man who doesn?t need any kind of charm in order to feel lucky, and rightfully so.

Not yet an established member of the media, players don?t recognize me and neither do fellow reporters, so I mingle around with a few people before turning my head to witness quite possibly the greatest assembly of basketball talent I?ll ever see in person. Standing within arms reach of my untalented pile of bones is Heinsohn, Dominique Wilkins, Mike Dunleavy Sr., Jerry West, and Larry Bird.

Jealous, Mr. Simmons?

Deep in conversation, probably about how awesome they are, I quickly decide that there?s no way I?m going to ruin what they have going on by adding my uselessness two cents. I mean we?re talking about the NBA Logo himself, the Human Highlight Film, and quite possibly the greatest shooter in the history of the game. I retreat to my laptop and immediately start breathing again.

Might I say that I like the trio of Jay Bilas (The NBA?s version of Mel ?The Hair? Kiper Jr.), Greg Anthony and Fred Hickman much more than any combination involving Stephen A. Smith (but I sure do miss Hickman on the YES Network).

As the broadcast hits the air the room gets quiet, and tension fills the oversized tent. This is where the future of entire NBA franchises will be decided, never has a top pick been so sought after. And it begins?

Okay, things are looking good until the eleventh selection is about to be made, by the uninteresting personality that used be Russ Granik (I miss him). If the Pacers are called here it means their chances at landing the in top three are over, and Bird would have made the trip solely for the ?awesome? conversation I saw take place.

The eleventh pick goes to?the Indiana Pacers (actually that?ll be the Atlanta Hawks). Mother?jumper. So as it stands now my Pacers will not pick in this year?s draft. It?s being labeled as one of the deepest drafts in history, but I won?t get to fully enjoy it (unless Larry can pull a few strings). I drift into a bad dream until the sixth pick is called.

zzz?ZZZ?zzz?

I awake abruptly as the Milwaukee Bucks are called. That?s nothing huge, unless you?re a Bucks fan hoping for Oden, but the man upstairs knew that I?d want to be alert for what would happen next?

The fifth pick goes to?the Boston Celtics.

Yes! Shock runs through the entire building as Boston, who acted as though they had a top two pick in the bank, is all of a sudden out of the top four. After the initial shock sets in a few laughs start up, and a huge smile runs across my face. All I heard after every single Celtic loss this season was that Oden or Durant were coming to town and Boston was going to be a contender in 2007. The most famous Boston fan of all, ESPN?s Bill Simmons, even started a tankathon.

Now? No Oden or Durant. Better luck next year Mr. Ainge!

With the blood flowing properly now, I witness another upset. Memphis lands the fourth pick, despite having the best chance at grabbing the first overall. This, my friends, is why the lottery is the way it is ? the excitement rises. The Hawks, who had the decency to take the Pacers? eleventh pick as well, nab the third overall selection (too high for Conley Jr.?)

Soon after its official, the Portland Trailblazers will pick first in the 2007 NBA Draft. Roy was right; he didn?t need any kind of good luck charm (except maybe a handshake from yours truly).

With the Lottery officially over the rest of the media, myself included, rushes onto the stage in hopes of a few good quotes. On the lookout for Bird, I spot him booking it out of Secaucus like a bat out of hell a few paces ahead of me. I settle for Foye, who?s standing all by his lonesome outside the tent. I ask him if he can tell me what exactly his good luck charm was, and he obliges ? a little genie lamp given to him by his niece.

As I pack up my belongings to head out of town, Wilkins enters the room and plops down next to a reporter, who happens to be right behind me. I quickly realize they are old friends and before long I hear Dominique ask his buddy if he wants to go get a drink. Realizing that a forty-seven year old Hall of Famer is going to ?out party? me on this evening, I head to my car for the long drive home.

To the NBA, I say see you at Madison Square Garden, where with the fifth pick the Boston Celtics just might take Jared Dudley. Okay, now it?s old?

What did you think of the 2007 NBA Lottery? Let Andrew know so he can ask David Stern to change a few things?   [email protected]