While the NBA playoffs are underway, attention also turns to the future. The teams that didn`t make the postseason are focused on the upcoming NBA Draft. A key event for these teams is the annual Draft Lottery, held in Chicago on Monday, which will decide the order of the top selections in the June draft.
The lottery process involves 14 ping pong balls, numbered 1 through 14, placed in a machine. Four balls are drawn, creating a four-number combination. With 1,001 possible combinations, each is assigned to a lottery team based on their 2024-25 regular-season record. The team assigned the first combination drawn receives the No. 1 pick. This drawing is repeated for picks 2, 3, and 4.
Following the top four selections determined by the lottery, picks 5 through 14 are assigned to non-playoff teams based on their inverse regular-season record (worst record picks first). Playoff teams select from pick 15 onwards through pick 30. The second round`s order is primarily determined by regular-season record, though some exact spots may depend on first-round lottery results for tied teams.
Therefore, the majority of the 2025 NBA Draft order is already known. The remaining top spots will be finalized on Monday. Below is the current draft order and lottery odds.
Unsurprisingly, Cooper Flagg is considered the top prospect in the 2025 class, but he`s not the only highly-rated player. Dylan Harper, a guard from Rutgers, is generally projected as the second overall pick. Beyond the top two, the order is less certain. Potential high picks include Ace Bailey (also from Rutgers), VJ Edgecombe (Baylor), Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma), and Tre Johnson (Texas). This class is notable for its overall depth in addition to its potential stars.
With talent distributed throughout the draft class, teams selecting at various spots will have opportunities to acquire significant contributors.
2025 NBA Draft Lottery Odds
Chances of securing the No. 1 overall pick:
- Utah Jazz (17-65 regular-season record): 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%
2025 NBA Draft Order
Picks 1-14 will be determined by the lottery results on Monday night.
| Pick number | Team |
|---|---|
| 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) |
| Second round | |
| 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) |
*Philadelphia`s pick goes to Oklahoma City if outside picks 1-6 (i.e., 7-9)
**Atlanta`s pick goes to Sacramento if outside picks 1-12 (i.e., 13-14)
It`s worth noting that the 2025 NBA Draft will feature only 59 total selections because the New York Knicks forfeited their second-round pick as a penalty from a 2022 tampering investigation related to the signing of Jalen Brunson. Given Brunson`s impact, the Knicks likely view this as a minor consequence.
Many of the picks in the 2025 draft have already been traded. The Brooklyn Nets currently hold the most selections, with four first-round picks and one second-round pick, totaling five. The Utah Jazz are also active, possessing four picks. This draft order is subject to change, particularly on draft night itself, as teams frequently trade picks, especially in the second round.
The 2025 NBA Draft is scheduled to take place in New York City shortly after the NBA Finals conclude. For the first time, the event will be split over two days: the first round will be held at Barclays Center on June 25th, followed by the second round on June 26th.
Jasper Hawthorne