The NBA postseason is currently in full swing, but the excitement doesn't stop for the teams that have been eliminated. This Monday, the league will hold its highly anticipated NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago, where the fate of the top picks for June's NBA Draft will be determined. The lottery is a critical event in the league calendar, setting the stage for the future of many franchises.
The process involves 14 ping pong balls placed in a lottery machine, each numbered from one to 14. The machine will randomly select four balls, creating a combination that has one of 1,001 possible outcomes. Each combination is assigned to different teams based on their records from the 2024-25 NBA season. The team that matches the first four-number combination will secure the number one pick in the upcoming draft, while the process continues to determine the second, third, and fourth picks.
Following the lottery selections, the remaining draft order for picks 5-14 will be based on the teams' regular-season records. Playoff teams will select from picks 15 to 30. The second round will be entirely determined by records, although some positions will be adjusted based on the lottery outcomes, particularly for teams that are tied.
As of now, the top prize in the 2025 draft class is Cooper Flagg, who is expected to be the first overall pick. Following him, Dylan Harper, a guard from Rutgers, is widely projected to go second. The draft class is characterized by its depth, featuring numerous prospects who could potentially make a significant impact in the league.
Other notable candidates include Ace Bailey from Rutgers, VJ Edgecombe from Baylor, Jeremiah Fears from Oklahoma, and Tre Johnson from Texas. The 2025 NBA Draft is poised to be a critical opportunity for teams looking to revitalize their rosters.
The odds for securing the coveted number one pick are as follows:
Utah Jazz (17-65): 14% Washington Wizards (18-64): 14% Charlotte Hornets (19-63): 14% New Orleans Pelicans (21-61): 12.5% Philadelphia 76ers (24-58): 10.5% Brooklyn Nets (26-56): 9% Toronto Raptors (30-52): 7.5% San Antonio Spurs (34-48): 6% Houston Rockets (pick via Phoenix Suns): 3.8% Portland Trail Blazers (36-46): 3.7% Dallas Mavericks (39-43): 1.8% Chicago Bulls (39-43): 1.7% Sacramento Kings (40-42): 0.8% San Antonio Spurs (pick via Atlanta Hawks): 0.7%The 2025 NBA Draft order for picks 1-14 will be finalized during the lottery event on Monday. Here’s the current projected order:
1. TBD 2. TBD 3. TBD 4. TBD 5. TBD 6. TBD 7. TBD 8. TBD 9. TBD 10. TBD 11. TBD 12. TBD 13. TBD 14. TBD 15. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Miami Heat) 16. Orlando Magic 17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit Pistons) 18. Washington Wizards (via Memphis Grizzlies) 19. Brooklyn Nets (via Milwaukee Bucks) 20. Miami Heat (via Golden State Warriors) 21. Utah Jazz (via Minnesota Timberwolves) 22. Atlanta Hawks (via Los Angeles Lakers) 23. Indiana Pacers 24. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Los Angeles Clippers) 25. Orlando Magic (via Denver Nuggets) 26. Brooklyn Nets (via New York Knicks) 27. Brooklyn Nets (via Houston Rockets) 28. Boston Celtics 29. Phoenix Suns (via Cleveland Cavaliers) 30. Los Angeles Clippers (via Oklahoma City Thunder)The second round of the 2025 NBA Draft will also feature numerous picks, including:
31. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Utah Jazz) 32. Boston Celtics (via Washington Wizards) 33. Charlotte Hornets 34. Charlotte Hornets (via New Orleans Pelicans) 35. Philadelphia 76ers 36. Brooklyn Nets 37. Detroit Pistons (via Toronto Raptors) 38. San Antonio Spurs 39/40. Toronto Raptors (via Portland Trail Blazers) 39/40. Washington Wizards (via Phoenix Suns) 41. Golden State Warriors (via Miami Heat) 42/43. Sacramento Kings (via Chicago Bulls) 42/43. Utah Jazz (via Dallas Mavericks) 44/45. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Atlanta Hawks) 44/45. Chicago Bulls (via Sacramento Kings) 46. Orlando Magic 47. Milwaukee Bucks (via Detroit Pistons) 48. Memphis Grizzlies (via Golden State Warriors) 49. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Milwaukee Bucks) 50. New York Knicks (via Memphis Grizzlies) 51. Los Angeles Clippers (via Minnesota Timberwolves) 52. Phoenix Suns (via Denver Nuggets) 53. Utah Jazz (via Los Angeles Clippers) 54. Indiana Pacers 55. Los Angeles Lakers 56. Memphis Grizzlies (via Houston Rockets) 57. Orlando Magic (via Boston Celtics) 58. Cleveland Cavaliers 59. Houston Rockets (via Oklahoma City Thunder)It's worth noting that the draft will feature only 59 total picks, as the New York Knicks forfeited their pick due to a tampering investigation related to the signing of Jalen Brunson. Despite this setback, the Knicks’ recent success likely softens the blow of losing their draft pick.
Among the teams, the Brooklyn Nets currently have the most draft capital, with four first-round picks and an additional second-round selection. Close behind are the Utah Jazz, who also possess four picks. As the draft approaches, expect to see further changes in the draft order due to potential trades.
The 2025 NBA Draft promises to be an exciting event, filled with potential and opportunity for franchises looking to build for the future. Stay tuned for the outcomes of the Draft Lottery on Monday night!
