The NBA Draft Lottery allows non-playoff teams to select top picks for the upcoming season.
Countdown for the NBA Draft Lottery 2025 has begun! One of the most crucial events in an NBA season, the Draft Lottery allows teams to pick the best contenders with an aim to add strength to their roster. The annual event has the weakest teams from the previous season participating in a lottery process, which helps in determining the draft order in the NBA Draft.
The NBA Draft lottery was introduced in 1985. Here, teams get the rights to sign high-potential eligible players, from across U.S. collegiate basketball sphere and even international players. The team that wins the lottery gets to make the first selection in the draft. The teams that are involved in the lottery process are called lottery teams. On the other hand, the draft pick whose position is determined in the process is known as a lottery pick.
A total of 14 teams that failed to make it to the playoffs, seven from each conference, participate in the Draft Lottery. Each team is assigned a number which corresponds to their chances of winning the lottery. As per current system, only four picks are selected via the lottery.
The team that finished with the worst record has the highest chance of picking a higher draft pick. The combination is discarded after a team wins a pick, and the process is continued till all top four picks are decided.
Once the top four draft picks are decided, the remaining first-round draft order is determined in an inverse order of the teams’ win-loss record.
After the 2019 NBA Draft, the bottom-three teams have been allotted equal chances, 14%, to win the lottery. Not only this, but the league also changed the number of teams picked in the lottery, from three to four. The team that finishes 14th in the list, has the least chances to win the lottery, with 0.5%.
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Having said that, let’s have a look at the NBA Draft Lottery 2025 participating teams and their winning chances.
| Pick | Team | Record | Odds for No.1 Pick |
| 1 | Utah Jazz | 17-65 | 14.0% |
| 2 | Washington Wizards | 18-64 | 14.0% |
| 3 | Charlotte Hornets | 19-63 | 14.0% |
| 4 | New Orleans Pelicans | 21-61 | 12.5% |
| 5 | Philadelphia 76ers | 24-58 | 10.5% |
| 6 | Brooklyn Nets | 26-56 | 9% |
| 7 | Toronto Raptors | 30-52 | 7.5% |
| 8 | San Antonio Spurs | 34-48 | 6% |
| 9 | Phoenix Suns (swap to Houston) | 36-46 | 3.8% |
| 10 | Portland Trail Blazers | 36-46 | 3.7% |
| 11 | Dallas Mavericks | 39-43 | 1.8% |
| 12 | Chicago Bulls | 39-43 | 1.7% |
| 13 | Sacramento Kings | 40-42 | 0.8% |
| 14 | Atlanta Hawks | 40-42 | 0.7% |
The NBA Draft Lottery 2025 will be the 40th edition of the lottery. It is scheduled for Monday, May 12, in Chicago. Fans will be able to catch live coverage of lottery action on ESPN.
Also Read: Cooper Flagg Declares for 2025 NBA Draft, Expected To Sign 4-Year, $62 Million Deal!
Washington Wizards 
Charlotte Hornets 
Philadelphia 76ers 
Brooklyn Nets 
Toronto Raptors 
Miami Heat 
Chicago Bulls 
Atlanta Hawks 
Orlando Magic 
Detroit Pistons 
Milwaukee Bucks 
Indiana Pacers 
New York Knicks 
Boston Celtics 
Cleveland Cavaliers 
Utah Jazz 
New Orleans Pelicans 
San Antonio Spurs 
Portland Trail Blazers 
Phoenix Suns 
Dallas Mavericks 
Sacramento Kings 
Memphis Grizzlies 
Golden State Warriors 
Minnesota Timberwolves 
LA Clippers 
Denver Nuggets 
Los Angeles Lakers 
Houston Rockets 
Oklahoma City Thunder 
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