Since 1985, the NBA has used a lottery-style process to determine the first several picks of the league’s annual draft. Since the 2019 NBA draft, the format has ensured that the team that finished the regular season with the worst record receives no lower than the fifth pick in that summer’s draft.
The current system ensures that the teams with the three worst regular-season records each have a 14% chance of winning the No. 1 pick.
Here are key facts to know about the NBA draft lottery:
When and where is the 2025 NBA draft lottery?
The 2025 NBA draft lottery will be held May 12 in Chicago.
What time does the 2025 NBA draft lottery begin?
Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
How can fans watch?
Fans can catch all the action in the NBA streaming hub.
Which teams will participate in the 2025 NBA draft lottery?
The 14 teams that did not make the 2025 playoffs are eligible for the draft lottery.
Eastern Conference: Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards
Western Conference: Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz
What are the current odds for the participating teams?
The odds for the 14 teams eligible for the draft lottery are as follows:
Utah Jazz (17-65 record in 2024-25), 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%
Phoenix Suns (36-46), 3.8% (pick goes to Houston Rockets via trade with Brooklyn Nets)
Portland Trail Blazers (36-46), 3.7%
Dallas Mavericks (39-43), 1.8%
Chicago Bulls (39-43), 1.7%
Sacramento** (40-42), .8%
Atlanta (40-42), .7% (pick goes to San Antonio Spurs)
*Pick may be conveyed to Oklahoma City Thunder
**Pick may be conveyed to Atlanta Hawks
How does the lottery work?
The NBA outlines the draft lottery process in multiple phases. Drawings determine the first four picks in the NBA draft. The remainder of the lottery teams will select in positions five through 14 in inverse order of their records at the end of the regular season.
Fourteen ping-pong balls numbered one through 14 are placed in a lottery machine and mixed for 20 seconds. The first ball is then removed. The remaining balls are mixed in the lottery machine for an additional 10 seconds, and then a second ball is removed. The balls are shuffled for another 10 seconds, and then a third ball is removed. There is another 10-second mix, and then the fourth ball is removed.
There are 1,001 possible combinations when four balls are drawn out of 14, without regard to their order of selection. Before the lottery, 1,000 of those 1,001 combinations are assigned to the 14 participating lottery teams. The team that has been assigned the drawn combination will receive the No. 1 pick. The same process is repeated for the No. 2 through No. 4 picks.
A representative from the Ernst & Young accounting firm oversees the entire process. No parties outside of the room are informed of the lottery results before the envelopes are opened during the television broadcast.
How were draft picks chosen before the lottery was established?
From 1966 through 1984, the NBA team that finished with the worst record in each conference participated in a coin flip for the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. That losing team received the No. 2 pick. The remaining teams picked in inverse order of their regular-season records.
When is the 2025 NBA draft?
The 2025 NBA draft will take place June 25-26 in Brooklyn. The first round on June 25 will air on ABC, ESPN and the ESPN app. The second round on June 26 will be on ESPN and the ESPN app. ESPN Radio will provide coverage of both rounds.
Which NBA prospects should fans keep a close eye on during the 2025 draft cycle?
ESPN draft experts are projecting these prospects as top-five picks:
Check out more of our draft analyst insights in their latest mock draft and top 100 big board rankings.
Which teams have secured top picks at previous draft lotteries, and which prospect did that team eventually select at No. 1 in the draft?
2024: Atlanta Hawks – Zaccharie Risacher
2023: San Antonio Spurs – Victor Wembanyama
2022: Orlando Magic – Paolo Banchero
2021: Detroit Pistons – Cade Cunningham
2020: Minnesota Timberwolves – Anthony Edwards
2019: New Orleans Pelicans – Zion Williamson
2018: Phoenix Suns – Deandre Ayton
2017: Boston Celtics (acquired pick via trade with Brooklyn Nets, traded pick to Philadelphia 76ers) – Markelle Fultz
2016: Philadelphia 76ers – Ben Simmons
2015: Minnesota Timberwolves – Karl-Anthony Towns
2014: Cleveland Cavaliers – Andrew Wiggins
2013: Cleveland Cavaliers – Anthony Bennett
2012: New Orleans Hornets – Anthony Davis
2011: Cleveland Cavaliers – Kyrie Irving
2010: Washington Wizards – John Wall
2009: LA Clippers – Blake Griffin
2008: Chicago Bulls – Derrick Rose
2007: Portland Trail Blazers – Greg Oden
2006: Toronto Raptors – Andrea Bargnani
2005: Milwaukee Bucks – Andrew Bogut
2004: Orlando Magic – Dwight Howard
2003: Cleveland Cavaliers – LeBron James
2002: Houston Rockets – Yao Ming
2001: Washington Wizards – Kwame Brown
2000: New Jersey Nets – Kenyon Martin
1999: Chicago Bulls – Elton Brand
1998: LA Clippers – Michael Olowokandi
1997: San Antonio Spurs – Tim Duncan
1996: Philadelphia 76ers – Allen Iverson
1995: Golden State Warriors – Joe Smith
1994: Milwaukee Bucks – Glenn Robinson
1993: Orlando Magic – Chris Webber
1992: Orlando Magic – Shaquille O’Neal
1991: Charlotte Hornets – Larry Johnson
1990: New Jersey Nets – Derrick Coleman
1989: Sacramento Kings – Pervis Ellison
1988: LA Clippers – Danny Manning
1987: San Antonio Spurs – David Robinson
1986: Philadelphia 76ers (traded pick to Cleveland Cavaliers) – Brad Daugherty
1985: New York Knicks – Patrick Ewing
Check out the ESPN NBA hub page for the latest news, scores, stats, schedules and more.
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