NBA Teams Secure Draft Order Through Tiebreakers

NEW YORK – April 21, 2025 – The NBA announced today that five tiebreakers among teams with identical regular-season records were resolved through random drawings, determining the selection order for the 2025 NBA Draft. The drawings were conducted by NBA President of League Operations Byron Spruell at the league’s office in Secaucus, New Jersey.

The tiebreaker process was supervised by Marc Dieli, a partner from the accounting firm Ernst & Young. The results of the drawings will influence teams’ chances at the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery, set to occur on Monday, May 12, and broadcast live on ESPN.

The first round of the NBA Draft is scheduled for June 25, with the second round following on June 26. Teams that competed in the NBA Draft Lottery will have their positions established based on a blend of records and lottery odds. The four highest picks will be determined through a separate drawing during the lottery.

The tiebreaker results are as follows: the Dallas Mavericks secured the 11th-best lottery odds after defeating the Chicago Bulls in the drawing. The New Orleans Pelicans, who also participated in the process, will select 12th overall. Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns and other teams have also learned their draft positioning.

Specifically, the team records and corresponding lottery odds for the poorest performing teams are as follows: Utah finished at 17-65 with a 14.0% chance of winning the lottery, and Washington at 18-64 also holds a 14.0% chance.

The comprehensive breakdown of teams vying for the first pick includes: Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Pelicans, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs, and others, each assigned specific lottery odds based on their records.

For teams with better records, the order for the first round will favor those with the highest win percentages. For example, Oklahoma City, finishing first with a record of 68-14, will have the highest pick, while Cleveland, at 64-18, will select second.

The Utah Jazz are expected to have four draft picks, including one first-round pick via Minnesota from the Rudy Gobert trade, and learned their final second-round position will be the 53rd overall after a complex four-team tiebreaker involving the Clippers, Nuggets, and Pacers.

As the draft approaches, excitement builds around potential prospects and the decisions teams must make. With the lottery drawing on May 12 imminent, many players are expected to declare their eligibility, further shaping the landscape of the draft.