The NBA will crown the winner of the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes Monday night. Or, more officially, the league will hold its annual draft lottery at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN) and disperse the first 14 selections of this year's talent grab.

The lottery system is how the NBA determines the draft order for the teams that don’t make the playoffs. It only determines the first 14 picks of the draft and has no impact on the second round. The first four picks are determined by the lottery, and picks 5-14 are determined by the reverse standings of whoever is left.

We think of the NBA Draft Lottery, first and foremost, as a way for the league's poor and downtrodden franchises to replenish their ranks and take the first steps toward meaningful winning years down the line.