The NBA lottery proved to be just that on Sunday when the Houston Rockets were able to overcome strong odds to win the right to choose first in the NBA Draft this June.  The odds were long, an 8.9% chance of getting the first overall pick, but the Rockets had sent guard Steve Francis as their representative and ?The Franchise? didn?t let them down.  So lucky was Francis, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, that when the drawing was held for the second pick the Rocket?s numbers came up again, requiring a re-draw.  On the re-draw the Chicago Bulls number came up meaning they will pick second, and the Golden State Warriors are scheduled to pick third.

"A lot of those guys looked at me like they wanted to knock the mess out of Steve Francis. I'm grateful we're going to get a selection to start to get better," Francis said. "There's nothing else they can ask me to do. I play my heart out, and I gave them the No. 1 pick. We have no choice but to go up from there."

"I'm definitely happy I'm not a GM right now," Francis said. "There's so many ways we can go. Hopefully, we will go the right direction and get a player that can help us immediately. We won't be looking for a point guard. Anything else, I don't know."

First indications are that the Rockets are looking far east with their new asset.  Chinese center Yao Ming and Duke product Jay Williams expected to go one and two, not necessarily in that order, the Rockets are expected to lean towards Ming due to their dire need at center and solidity in the guard positions.

But they certainly are not the only options available to the Rockets.  Teams such as the Warriors immediately started scouring the rosters of the Bulls and Rockets in an effort to try to move up, and Knicks GM Scott Layden said he certainly wants to get higher than New York?s current seventh place selection.

"I'd be glad to trade positions, real glad," said West, the Grizzlies president, after landing the fourth pick. "Psychologically, picking No. 1 is really important, particularly when you're not the type of team you want to be."

The Rockets now have a big job in front of them, scouting every player available and having to be comfortable that they will be taking the right one.  It certainly is a problem that most GM?s out there would love, Carroll admitting that his cell phone had been ringing non-stop since the announcement had been made.

"It puts us in a position where we have a lot of options to look at," Tomjanovich said. "We are keeping an open mind on this situation. I'm sure we will get calls from a lot of people, and we have to weigh a lot of things."

"It's a great day for the Rockets," Rockets chief operating officer George Postolos said. "When I saw it, there were literally tears of joy."

They are now officially on the clock.  The Rockets have six weeks to make their decision.