How could you not fall in love with Irene Pollin after last night’s NBA Draft Lottery? Her mouth sitting wide open with 
that stunning look of shock in her eyes that their 10.3% chance of winning the lottery came true.
The N.J. Nets had the highest probability of winning with a 25% chance. She had the 1978 Washington Bullets Championship ring on or what she called her late husband’s good luck charm on her hand.
Irene is the widow of her late husband Abe: the pair holds the distinction of being the longest-tenured owners in the National Basketball Association.
They’ve owned the Green Bay Packers, Zephyrs and Bullets/ Wizards since 1964 and also have been majority owners in some point of time of the Washington Capitals and Washington Mystics. The Wizards deserved this after their tumultuous season where their best player Gilbert Arenas served jail time and was suspended for bringing guns into the locker room and threatening teammate, Javaris Crittenton during a verbal altercation.
Arenas, who was bothered by injury problems, was still awarded a very sweet deal by the Wizards before the 2009 season, $111 million over six years. After his year-long suspension the team had to start fresh and did so by trading their other two stars, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison.
Ted Leonis who may be buying the Wizards in the future said:
“We’re starting out with fresh air. We’re going to get a core piece who could be with us for 8-10 years.”
Abe Pollin sold Leonsis the NHL Capitals in 1999 and since Leonsis has built that NHL franchise around electric scorer Alex Ovechkin, a top selection in that league’s draft.
The No. 1 pick in this upcoming NBA Draft will almost certainly be point guard John Wall, so we’ll have to see how the new Wizards backcourt looks next year. Two things for certain, Irene Pollin’s priceless facial expression will be one that will always be remembered for as long as the NBA holds a lottery and no matter who they select it will be a wiser choice than when Michael Jordan was their GM and selected Kwame Brown with the 2001 No. 1 pick for the Wizards.
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