The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery is nearly here, and with it comes heightened anticipation around the league, especially as basketball fans and executives eye future stars like Cooper Flagg. As the NBA Draft approaches, the lottery will determine which team lands the coveted No. 1 pick, and with several franchises in rebuilding mode, the stakes have never been higher.
Set to take place on Sunday, May 12, at 3 p.m. ET, the NBA Draft Lottery 2025 will be broadcast live on ESPN. Fans have been eagerly asking, “When is the NBA Draft Lottery?”, and now the countdown is officially on. This year’s event could dramatically alter the trajectory of several struggling teams depending on how the ping pong balls fall.
All eyes are on Cooper Flagg, the 6’9” forward out of Duke who has quickly become the consensus top pick in most NBA mock draft 2025 projections. A gifted two-way player with elite instincts and NBA-ready athleticism, Flagg has drawn comparisons to Larry Bird and Kevin Durant. His combination of skill, size, and IQ makes him the most anticipated draft prospect since Zion Williamson.
The NBA lottery odds for 2025 mirror the league’s ongoing attempt to discourage tanking while keeping competition fair. The teams with the three worst regular-season records—currently the Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons, and San Antonio Spurs—all share a 14% chance at the top selection. The rest of the lottery order is based on weighted odds that give each team a shot, however slim, at a franchise-changing pick.
“This is a pivotal moment for us,” said a front-office executive from a lottery team who asked to remain anonymous. “We’re rebuilding, and landing that number one spot, especially in a draft with someone like Cooper Flagg, could completely reshape our future.”
The 2025 NBA Draft itself is scheduled for June 26 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Beyond Flagg, other top prospects include international phenom Hugo Gonzalez and UConn guard Stephon Castle. While the lottery determines order, the draft will reveal strategy—do teams pick for need or simply select the best player available?
As the NBA basketball season edges closer to its playoff finale, fans and analysts will be closely watching the NBA Draft Lottery for clues about the league’s next chapter. With shifting odds, rising stars, and franchises banking on a brighter future, the lottery remains one of the most suspenseful nights in professional sports.
