2025 NBA Draft Lottery preview: Odds, top prospects, and how to watch
2025 NBA Draft Lottery
When: Monday, May 12, 7 p.m. ET
How to watch: ESPN (U.S.), TSN (Canada)
It's every bad team's favorite time of the year: the NBA draft lottery.
While the best of the best slug it out in the playoffs, the 14 franchises that didn't crack the first round, plus a couple hoping to elude traded pick protections, will be sweet-talking the basketball gods Monday in Chicago. A representative from each team will attend the event, during which the NBA draws randomized pingpong balls to determine which franchises will make the top four selections June 25.
Once those are settled, the 10 remaining teams will be arranged in reverse order of their 2024-25 regular-season records.
Top prospects
Expect Duke phenom Cooper Flagg to feature prominently at the top of everybody's draft boards. The 18-year-old lived up to his high school hype as a college freshman, leading the Blue Devils in nearly every stat and winning both Rookie and Player of the Year in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
However, Flagg isn't the only prospect capable of transforming a franchise's entire long-term outlook. Here's a look at Flagg and a handful of other talents that likely won't last long on the board (For more rundowns, click here for our latest 2025 NBA Mock Draft).
Cooper Flagg, F (Duke)
Capturing Flagg means getting first dibs at a 6-foot-9 standout who can do it all. Despite a 205-pound frame, his control off the dribble allows him to not only flaunt his athleticism at the rim but also create enough separation for a shot on the perimeter, or attract a second defender to set up an open teammate. Defensively, he can match up against all five positions, but he's arguably at his best as a help defender in the paint.
Dylan Harper, PG (Rutgers)
Harper is the youngest of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper's two sons but is a virtual lock to top his dad's eighth overall selection in 1986. The 6-foot-6 Rutgers product is already a nightmare for opposing point guards, but he complements his physical gifts with a combination of poise and craftiness, especially with his changes in direction when he gets downhill.
Ace Bailey, SF (Rutgers)
Joining Harper in Rutgers' best-ever recruitment class in 2024 was Airious "Ace" Bailey, a slender 6-foot-10 wing who shows remarkable upside on both sides of the ball. He loves to use his height advantage to rise overtop defenders on difficult pull-up jumpers, including beyond the 3-point line. Equipped with a 7-foot wingspan and incredible mobility for a near-7-footer, Bailey has the physical foundation to become a multi-positional lockdown defender but had occasional off-ball slip-ups with the Scarlet Knights.
VJ Edgecombe, SG (Baylor)
Edgecombe's offensive numbers as a freshman may not jump off the page, but he may just jump over a defender to put the ball in the basket. The 6-foot-5 Bahamian is one of the most explosive scoring guards in the draft, with plenty of highlights showcasing his ridiculous bounce. However, he combines that athleticism with innate timing, instincts, and a relentless motor, which also makes him one of the best defensive guards in the draft and a tantalizing two-way prospect overall.