SECAUCUS, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Chicago Bulls general manager Jerry Krause was not happy with the outcome of the NBA draft lottery rehearsal. He was ecstatic with the real thing. After the Bulls received the first pick in a mock lottery held off camera, they turned the trick again in the live version and can begin their massive rebuilding process. With the lottery aired live from NBA Entertainment Studios at halftime of a playoff game, the league tries to familiarize team representatives with the process by conducting a rehearsal. The Bulls received the top pick in the rehearsal and Krause moaned, "Oh no, not now!" "I told him `Stop it now!'" Krause said. "We don't need to go any further." Luckily for Krause, the actual lottery produced the same winner. Less than a year after the dismantling of their dynasty began, the Bulls are in terrific position to return to their winning ways. The top pick is one of three they may have in the first round. "It's a great position to be in," said Krause, whose team had not been in the draft lottery in 10 years. "We're looking forward to the things that will happen from it." The draft does not appear to have an impact player but is loaded with underclassmen, including Duke freshman Corey Maggette. The athletic forward is a Chicago native who reportedly decided to leave school after being told he would not slide past the Bulls, regardless of where they select. "Certain players fit better in the triple-post (offense) than others do -- that's important to us," Krause said. "The mental makeup is tremendously important." "With Jerry Krause, who has the slightest idea what they are going to do?" said Vancouver Grizzlies coach Brian Hill, whose team will pick second for the second straight year. "It might be some guy from Bolivia, for all I know." After winning six championships in eight years, the Bulls saw the resignation of coach Phil Jackson, the retirement of superstar Michael Jordan and the free-agent defections of stars Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman and a host of other players. With many new young players, the Bulls endured a 13-37 mark, the worst in franchise history. They were the worst team in the Eastern Conference and finished with the third-worst record in the NBA behind the Vancouver Grizzlies (8-42) and Los Angeles Clippers (9-41), who picked 2-1 last year. The Bulls had a 15.7 percent chance of winning the lottery and defied the odds, leaping ahead of Vancouver and Los Angeles. For the ninth straight year, the team with the worst record will not have the first pick. Chicago has the top overall pick for the first time in franchise history. The Grizzlies had a 25 percent chance of receiving the top pick but were bumped to second. The Clippers owned a 20 percent chance at the top pick but were bumped to fourth by the Bulls and Charlotte Hornets, who will pick third. "A lot of people are saying there is not a real impact player or franchise player in this draft, but the fourth position should get us a pretty good player," said Clippers coach Chris Ford, whose team desperately needs a point guard. The Hornets finished 26-24, the best record among non-playoff teams. They had roughly 18 chances in 1,000 of receiving one of the top three picks but immediately threw the selection order out of whack when their team placard was not the first opened by NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik. "The odds were so against us that when it happened, I couldn't help but be elated," Hornets coach Paul Silas said. "When he didn't call out the Charlotte Hornets for No. 13, I thought, `Oh my God, you might get the first one!' So we'll take the third one." The fifth pick went to Toronto, which owned Denver's first-round pick. The improving Raptors also will pick 12th. Minnesota will pick sixth, receiving New Jersey's pick as part of the blockbuster three-team trade involving Stephon Marbury. The Timberwolves also have the 14th pick. Washington is seventh, followed by Boston. However, expect the Cleveland Cavaliers to take the eighth pick as part of the midseason trade involving centers Vitaly Potapenko and Andrew DeClercq. Cleveland also has the 11th pick. "With Boston in all likelihood getting better, we're going to use that opportunity now," Cavaliers vice president Jim Paxson said. Phoenix will pick ninth, claiming Dallas' pick as part of last year's draft-day deal involving Steve Nash. Golden State picks 10th and Seattle will have the 13th pick. Under the auspices of accounting firm Ernst & Young, 14 numbered ping-pong balls were placed in a drum. When four balls are drawn from the drum, 1,001 possible combinations exist. Prior to the lottery, 1,000 of those are assigned to the 13 lottery teams by a computer. Four balls were drawn and the combination matched one assigned to the Bulls. The balls were replaced and the process repeated, with a combination belonging to Vancouver coming up next. The third drawing produced a combination assigned to Charlotte and the remaining teams were placed in inverse order of record. As usual, the exodus of college underclassmen will strongly impact the lottery. Forward Elton Brand of Duke, swingmen Richard Hamilton of Connecticut and Ron Artest of St. John's and guard Steve Francis of Maryland figure to be lottery picks. Seniors expected to go high in the draft include forward Wally Szczerbiak of Miami (Ohio), guards Andre Miller of Utah and Jason Terry of Arizona and center Todd MacCulloch of Washington.  