NBA Draft Lottery 101: Date, time, chances of winning, format, history

The NBA has used a lottery process since 1985 to determine the first selection of the league's annual design. Since the NBA design of 2019, the format has ensured that the team, which ended the regular season with the worst record, does not receive the fifth election in the summer design.

The current system ensures that the teams with the three worst records of the regular season each have a 14% chance of winning number 1.

Here are important facts about the NBA design truck:

When and where is the 2025 NBA design truck?

The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery will take place on May 12th in Chicago.

When does the 2025 NBA design truck begin?

The cover begins at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

How can fans watch?

Fans can catch the action in the NBA streaming hub.

Which teams will take part in the NBA Draft Lottery 2025?

The 14 teams that did not do the 2025 playoffs are an option for the design 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 Blazer, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz

What are the current opportunities for the participating teams?

The opportunities for the 14 teams that are suitable for the design of the 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 on the trade with Brooklyn Nets))

Portland Trail Blazer (36-46), 3.7%

Dallas Mavericks (39-43), 1.8%

Chicago Bulls (39-43), 1.7%

Sacramento ** (40-42), 0.8%

Atlanta (40-42), 0.7% (pick goes to San Antonio Spurs)

*The selection can be transferred to Oklahoma City Thunder

** The selection can be transferred to Atlanta Hawks

How does the lottery work?

The nboutlines the design of the lottery process in several phases. Drawings determine the first four picks in the NBA design. The rest of the lottery teams will select five to 14 in the end of the regular season in the reverse order of their records.

Fourteen ping pong balls are housed 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 another 10 seconds, and then a second ball is removed. The balls are mixed for another 10 seconds and then a third ball is removed. There is another 10-second mixture, and then the fourth ball is removed.

There are 1,001 possible combinations if four balls from 14 years are drawn regardless of their selection order. Before the lottery, 1,000 of these 1,001 combinations are assigned to the 14 participating lottery teams. The team, to which the drawn combination was assigned, receives the No. 1 selection. The same process is repeated for No. 2 to No. 4.

A representative of the Ernst & Young auditing companies monitors the entire process. No parties outside the room are informed about the lottery results before the envelopes are opened during the television program.

How were Draft picks selected before the lottery was set up?

From 1966 to 1984, the NBA team, which ended with the worst record in every conference, took part in a coin flip for No. 1 selection in the NBA design. This lost team received the No. 2 selection. The remaining teams chose their regular season records in the inverse order.

When is the NBA design of 2025?

The NBA design of 2025 will take place in Brooklyn from June 25th to 26th. The first round on June 25th will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN and the ESPN app. The second round on June 26 will be on ESPN and the ESPN app. The ESPN radio offers both rounds.

Which NBA views should fans keep an eye on during the design cycle of 2025?

ESPN draft experts project these prospects as top five picks:

Take a look at our draft for analyst knowledge in your Latest Mock Draft and Top 100 Big Board Ranking lists.

Which teams have secured top selection in earlier draft lotteries, and what prospects did this team finally select in first place in the draft?

2024: Atlanta Hawks – Zaccharia 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 (selected selection on trade with Brooklyn Nets, trade to Philadelphia 76ers) – Markelle Fultz

2016: Philadelphia 76ers – Ben Simmons

2015: Minnesota Timberwolves -Karl -Anthony cities

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 Blazer – 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 (trade in Cleveland Cavaliers) – Brad Daugherty

1985: New York Knicks – Patrick Ewing

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