The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery took place on Monday, May 12, at 7:00 PM ET (4:30 AM IST on Tuesday, May 13), with the event broadcast live. This year’s NBA lottery was especially intriguing, with teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and a group of top-tier prospects fueling the excitement around the future of the NBA. The NBA lottery always brings high stakes for teams looking to reshape their rosters, and this year was no exception.
Philadelphia 76ers’ Lottery Chances
The Philadelphia 76ers entered the NBA lottery with a notable chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick, boasting a 10.5% probability of securing the top pick in this year's draft. The team had a 42.1% chance of landing a top-four pick, which is critical for any team in need of rebuilding. However, if the 76ers did not secure a pick in the top four, they would have had to send the pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a prior trade agreement. This added another layer of suspense to the NBA lottery for the 76ers.
For Philadelphia, the stakes in the NBA lottery were high. Recent simulations pointed to a 63.9% likelihood that they would retain their pick, but there was still a 36.1% chance of losing it. The hope was that the 76ers could land a top-tier prospect like Cooper Flagg from Duke or Ace Bailey from Rutgers, which would significantly strengthen their lineup for the future.
The Prospects
The 2025 NBA Draft class is generating a significant amount of buzz due to a group of star players who have the potential to reshape the league. The most talked-about player is Cooper Flagg, a forward from Duke, who is seen as the most promising U.S.-born talent since LeBron James. Standing 6-foot-8 with an incredible combination of size, athleticism, and basketball IQ, Flagg is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA lottery. His versatility and ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor make him a game-changer for any team in the NBA lottery.
Other top prospects include Dylan Harper, a 6-foot-6 guard from Rutgers; Ace Bailey, a 6-foot-9 forward from Baylor; and V.J. Edgecombe, a 6-foot-8 wing from the Bahamas. These players bring a diverse skill set to the table, and many NBA teams are hoping to land one of them in the NBA lottery.
The NBA Lottery Process
The NBA lottery is an annual event where 14 teams that did not make the playoffs compete for the top picks in the NBA draft. The process works by randomly selecting a combination of four numbered ping-pong balls from a set of 14, creating 1,001 possible combinations. The team whose combination matches the drawn numbers wins the No. 1 pick, and the rest of the top four picks are determined in similar fashion during the NBA lottery.
This year’s NBA lottery took place behind closed doors in Chicago, with team executives watching the event unfold. NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum was the one to announce the results of the NBA lottery, and with each pick, fans and teams alike eagerly awaited to see who would land the coveted first overall selection in the NBA lottery.
What’s Next for the NBA?
As the dust settles from the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, teams that were hoping for a top-four pick will now turn their attention to scouting and preparing for the draft itself. The 76ers, in particular, will be watching closely, as their pick could bring one of the draft’s most promising young talents to the team. The NBA lottery results will play a critical role in shaping the future of the 76ers and other teams in the league.
The lottery results also shine a light on the future of the NBA, with an exciting crop of young players who could shape the league for years to come. With top-tier talent like Flagg, Harper, Bailey, and Edgecombe entering the fold, the NBA lottery gives a glimpse into the league’s promising future. The NBA’s draft season is sure to be an exciting one, with much anticipation building for the upcoming selections based on the NBA lottery results.
