While the top teams in the Association compete for an NBA championship, the bottom feeders have been awaiting the draft lottery.
It doesn’t hold the weight that an NBA title does, but the lottery is a major moment for eligible teams. It’s an opportunity for franchises to turn around with one of the elite prospects in the upcoming draft class.
Cooper Flagg headlines the 2025 class and is almost certain to land No. 1 overall to the team that wins the lottery. The rest of the class is impressive, however, with Rutgers freshmen Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper among some of the best players available.
Unlike the playoffs, the lottery is all luck. Teams with worse records have slight advantages, but it all comes down to percentages — and thus, luck. Franchises with the best odds to land No. 1 don’t always get the top pick.
The Hawks won the 2024 draft lottery despite having the 10th best odds of landing the top selection. Meanwhile, the Pistons fell to No. 5 after securing the league’s worst record.
The Jazz have the league’s worst record in 2025, so they have the best odds of landing the top pick in this year’s draft lottery.
The Sporting News has all the details on how to watch the 2025 NBA Draft lottery.
What time is the 2025 NBA Draft lottery?
- Date: Monday, May 12
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
The 2025 NBA Draft lottery will take place on Monday, May 12 at 7 p.m. ET in Chicago. It will occur right before Game 4 between the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics.
What channel is the 2025 NBA Draft lottery on?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: Sling
The 2025 NBA Draft lottery will air on ESPN right before Game 4 between the Knicks and Celtics.
For fans looking to live stream the event, Sling has you covered.
What is Sling TV?
Sling TV is a popular live streaming service that offers a flexible and affordable way to watch television without a traditional cable subscription. It provides a range of channel packages, allowing users to customize their viewing experience by choosing from various genres, including sports, news, and entertainment.
One of its best qualities is the no-contract model, which gives subscribers the freedom to start and stop service as they please. Additionally, Sling TV’s user-friendly interface, compatibility with multiple devices, and the option for add-ons like premium channels make it an attractive choice for those looking to streamline their viewing options.
How does the NBA Draft lottery work?
The NBA draft lottery consists of 14 teams that didn’t make the postseason. This includes the teams that lost during the play-in tournament. The three teams with the worst records each have a 14 percent chance at landing the No. 1 overall pick.
The remaining teams participating in the lottery will have smaller percentages based on how well they did in the regular season. For example, the Mavericks have just a 1.8 percent chance of landing the top pick since they finished with the 11th worst record.
Only the top four picks will be decided by the lottery, which means the Jazz, who have the league’s worst record, can only fall as far as the No. 5 pick. Picks 5-14 will be decided by league record following the drawing.
2025 NBA Draft lottery odds
Here are the full odds for the 2025 NBA Draft lottery, according to NBA.com.
| Team | Record | Win% | No. 1 pick probability |
| Utah | 17-65 | .207 | 14% |
| Washington | 18-64 | .220 | 14% |
| Charlotte | 19-63 | .232 | 14% |
| New Orleans | 21-61 | .256 | 12.5% |
| Philadelphia1 | 24-58 | .293 | 10.5% |
| Brooklyn | 26-56 | .317 | 9.0% |
| Toronto | 30-52 | .366 | 7.5% |
| San Antonio | 34-48 | .415 | 6.0% |
| Phoenix2 | 36-46 | .439 | 3.8% |
| Portland | 36-46 | .439 | 3.7% |
| Dallas | 39-43 | .476 | 1.8% |
| Chicago | 39-43 | .476 | 1.7% |
| Sacramento3 | 40-42 | .488 | 0.8% |
| Atlanta4 | 40-42 | .488 | 0.7% |
1This pick may be conveyed to Oklahoma City
2This pick belongs to Houston via a trade with Brooklyn
3This pick may be conveyed to Atlanta
4This pick belongs to San Antonio
Related Links
