The Dallas Mavericks might have been the laughingstock of the NBA when they traded away Luka Doncic, but no one is laughing now. The team won the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft after entering the night with just a 1.8% chance. It seems like Duke star Cooper Flagg will be headed to the Lone Star State.
Outside of Dallas, the top-14 picks were filled with surprises. Most notably, of the three teams with the highest chance of earning the No. 1 overall pick — the Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Hornets — only one, Charlotte, wound up with a top-four pick. The Jazz and Wizards fell at 5 and 6, respectively.
Here’s the full results from tonight’s 2025 NBA draft lottery:
ANALYSIS: Mavericks, Nico Harrison strike gold in NBA draft lottery. Wizards and Jazz strike out.
ANALYSIS: 2025 NBA mock draft: Which lottery team needs Cooper Flagg the most?
2025 NBA draft lottery results
*Teams are listed in order of 2025 draft position
Lowest odds to earn No. 1 pick
Dallas’ 1.8% odds to earn the No. 1 pick are certainly shocking, but it’s happened before. In 1993, the Orlando Magic had just a 1.52% chance to earn the first pick. The Magic selected Chris Webber with the pick, who was promptly traded to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for a flurry of first-round picks as well as Penny Hardaway, who wound up forming a dynamic duo with Shaquille O’Neal.
The 2014 Cleveland Cavaliers were similarly blessed, earning the top pick with just a 1.7% chance. Much like Orlando, the Cavaliers would actually trade No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for established All-Star forward Kevin Love. Love would play a pivotal role in Cleveland’s championship run in 2016.
What time is the NBA draft lottery?
The 2025 NBA draft lottery will be held on Monday, May 12 in Chicago and will be broadcast beginning at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
How to watch NBA draft lottery: TV channel and stream
- Date: Monday, May 12
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- TV: ESPN
- Stream: Fubo, which offers a free trial for new users.
Watch the NBA draft lottery with Fubo
2025 NBA draft lottery odds
Percent chance of winning the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft:
- Utah Jazz: 14%
- Washington Wizards: 14%
- Charlotte Hornets: 14%
- New Orleans Pelicans: 12.5%
- Philadelphia 76ers: 10.5% (pick may be conveyed to Oklahoma City if it falls outside of the top six)
- Brooklyn Nets: 9%
- Toronto Raptors: 7.5%
- San Antonio Spurs: 6%
- Phoenix Suns: 3.8% (Pick to Houston via Brooklyn)
- Portland Trail Blazers: 3.7%
- Dallas Mavericks: 1.8%
- Chicago Bulls: 1.7%
- Sacramento Kings: 0.8% (pick may be conveyed to Atlanta if it’s not in the top 12)
- Atlanta Hawks: 0.7% (pick to San Antonio)
The three teams with the best odds – the Jazz, Wizards and Hornets – all have a 52.1% chance of landing a top-four pick.
How can Cooper Flagg help a team?
The do-it-all young star led the Blue Devils in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. Flagg has outstanding footwork, especially in the low post. He can use either hand on shots in the paint, knows how to run plays, can hit catch-and-shoot 3s and is an active weakside defender. Flagg, who added more muscle since the start of the year, is a physical player who initiates contact, is confident and plays with force when necessary. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks and shot 48.1% from the field, 38.5% on 3-pointers and 84% on free throws. − Jeff Zillgitt
Who is the projected No. 1 pick in the NBA draft?
Cooper Flagg, who played his freshman season at Duke and was the national player of the year, has been at the top of draft boards for a year.
How does the draft lottery work?
According to the NBA, “Fourteen ping-pong balls numbered 1 through 14 will be placed in a lottery machine. 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 will be assigned to the 14 participating lottery teams.All 14 balls are placed in the lottery machine and they are mixed for 20 seconds, and then the first ball is removed. The remaining balls are mixed in the lottery machine for another 10 seconds, and then the second ball is drawn. There is a 10-second mix, and then the third ball is drawn. There is a 10-second mix, and then the fourth ball is drawn. The team that has been assigned that combination will receive the No. 1 pick. The same process is repeated with the same ping-pong balls and lottery machine for the second through fourth picks.”
When is the NBA combine?
This year’s NBA draft combine is scheduled for May 11-18 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
Prospects will undergo a series of anthropometric and physical measurements and tests in order to give NBA scouts an idea of what they can expect from them once they reach the NBA.
The measurements/tests will include:
- Height
- Weight
- Wingspan
- Hand size
- Vertical jump
- Bench press
- Lane agility
When is the NBA draft?
Round 1 of the 2025 NBA draft is set for Wednesday, June 25. It will air on both ABC and ESPN. Round 2 will take place a day later on Thursday, June 26.
Who is representing each lottery team on stage?
Individuals with ties to the respective franchise often represent teams in the lottery. Here is who will be at the draft lottery tonight.
- Brooklyn Nets: Jordi Fernandez, head coach
- Charlotte Hornets: Charles Lee, head coach
- Chicago Bulls: Matas Buzelis, player
- Dallas Mavericks: Rolando Blackman, team ambassador
- Houston Rockets: Hakeem Olajuwon, Rockets Hall of Famer
- New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson, player
- Philadelphia 76ers: Jared McCain, player
- Portland Trail Blazers: Toumani Camara, player
- Sacramento Kings: Keon Ellis, player
- San Antonio Spurs: Mitch Johnson, head coach
- Toronto Raptors: Masai Ujiri, vice chairman and team president
- Utah Jazz: Ashley Smith, co-owner
- Washington Wizards: Bub Carrington, player
NBA draft lottery drawing room representatives
The drawing room is where the draft lottery is actually conducted, separate from the broadcast stage. Individuals there are sequestered with no e-devices such as phone, laptop or tablet. Here is a list of representatives that will be welcomed into the drawing room Monday.
- Brooklyn Nets: Makar Gervorkian, VP of basketball operations alignment and strategic planning
- Charlotte Hornets: Rich Schnall, co-owner and governor
- Chicago Bulls: Faizan Hasnany, manager basketball strategy and analytics
- Dallas Mavericks: Matt Riccardi, assistant general manager
- Houston Rockets: Sam Strantz, senior team counsel
- New Orleans Pelicans: Joe Dumars, executive vice president
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Sam Presti, executive vice president and general manager
- Philadelphia 76ers: Ned Cohen, assistant general manager
- Portland Trail Blazers: Andrae Patterson, assistant general manager
- Sacramento Kings: Alvin Gentry, vice president of basketball engagement
- San Antonio Spurs: Brian Wright, general manager
- Toronto Raptors: Bobby Webster, general manager
- Utah Jazz: Justin Zanik, general manager
- Washington Wizards: Will Dawkins, general manager
Contributing: Jeff Zillgitt, Steve Gardner
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