Sports
The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery is approaching, and with it comes a once-in-a-generation prize: Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick and a franchise-altering prospect.
While teams can improve their chances through poor regular-season records, lottery night is governed entirely by chance-and history shows that some organizations have consistently been more fortunate than others when it comes to draft positioning.
This year’s top odds belong to the Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, and Utah Jazz, each with a 14% shot at the first pick. Yet, past lottery outcomes suggest that actual draft night success doesn’t always align with probability.
When it comes to winning the lottery game historically, no team matches the track record of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Celtics’ Dramatic Collapse: A Tale of Missed Opportunities and Stellar Defense
Philadelphia leads the field in lottery fortune
In reviewing all 40 NBA lotteries to date, the Sixers have moved up eight times and fallen back only once.
More impressively, they’ve gained a net total of 24 draft slots over the years-by far the most of any franchise. For context, the next closest team, the Hornets, has gained just 13.
This is especially important in 2025, as Philadelphia’s pick-currently slated at No. 5-is only protected through the sixth spot.
If it drops to No. 7 or lower, it transfers to the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, based on lottery math and the Sixers’ historical success rate, they have a 64% chance of keeping the pick.
The only franchise with a better average positional gain per lottery than Philadelphia is the Los Angeles Lakers-but they aren’t part of this year’s draw.
Among current contenders for Flagg, no team holds a stronger statistical advantage than the Sixers.
While Philadelphia leads in raw movement, the San Antonio Spurs stand out for turning their lottery wins into actual franchise success.
Despite participating in only eight lotteries, the Spurs have gained nine net slots and never improved their position by more than three places.
Yet, those modest jumps led to all-time greats: David Robinson, Tim Duncan, and Victor Wembanyama-none of whom were selected following the league’s worst record.
This year, San Antonio starts at No. 8 and holds an additional pick at No. 14, giving them two opportunities to strike gold. Their odds of landing the top pick sit at 6%, but history says that’s more than enough to dream.
Meanwhile, Charlotte’s 13-slot net gain lands them among the lottery’s luckier franchises, though their results haven’t delivered sustained postseason success. They’ll hope that changes if they land Flagg.
Mavericks, Kings, and Wizards haunted by bad lottery luck
At the other end of the spectrum are teams with historically poor outcomes on draft night-none more so than the Dallas Mavericks. They’ve never moved up in the lottery.
Entering this year’s draw at No. 11, their chance of jumping to the top is just 1.8%, and with no history of upward mobility, expectations are low.
The Sacramento Kings, sitting at No. 13, are similarly unlucky. If their pick lands outside the top 12, it goes to Atlanta.
They have only a 3.8% chance of retaining it, and over the years, they’ve moved up three times while sliding back 11-tied for the most in league history with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Wizards, despite sharing the top odds this year, enter with one of the worst lottery records. They’ve lost seven net slots in previous lotteries and fallen nine times.
Even when they did move up, the results were mixed: they used top selections on Kwame Brown, John Wall, and Otto Porter-none of whom delivered long-term success in Washington.
Of course, as last year’s draw reminded everyone, anything can happen. The Atlanta Hawks entered the 2024 lottery with a history of poor luck and jumped nine spots to claim the No. 1 pick.
That single result flipped their fortunes and added six net slots to their overall lottery record.
On Monday night, the ping pong balls will decide where Cooper Flagg begins his NBA career. History can offer clues, but in a lottery that resets every year, one bounce is all it takes to change everything.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Energie reaguje na zranění Redlicha, na hostování přichází posila z Kladna
„Kuba je pro trenérský štáb známý hráč. Pavel Patera ho trénoval (v Kladně a Mladé Boleslavi - pozn. aut.) a zapadá mu do systému a do role, pro kterou ho bereme. Jsme rádi, že jsme se domluvili s Kladnem v tomto časovém presu. Při počtu zraněných hráčů, které momentálně máme, to pro nás bylo rychlé a dostupné řešení v rámci hokejového trhu,“ říká sportovní ředitel Karlových Varů Jiří Kalous.Strnad v aktuální sezoně nastoupil za Rytíře k sedmi zápasů a nebodoval. Kladenský odchovanec v nejvyšší soutěži odehrál za Kladno, Spartu, Mladou Boleslav a České Budějovice celkem 373 utkání s bilancí 36 gólů a 38 asistencí.Dres Energie by měl poprvé obléknout už v pátek při domácím střetnutí s posledním Litvínovem.
What to Watch: College football Week 8 viewer’s guide
Is Week 8 the best weekend of the 2025 college football season so far?The second half of the season kicks off with five matchups between ranked teams and a host of other intriguing games. Even Friday night has the potential for entertainment with Louisville visiting No. 2 Miami and a North Carolina team looking for something positive to happen on the field while heading across the country to visit Cal.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe third weekend of October should deliver. Here's what to watch in Week 8.No. 10 LSU at No. 17 VanderbiltWelcome to the 2025 college football season. Vanderbilt is favored over LSU and it’s not a shock. The Tigers have won 10 straight over the Commodores; Vanderbilt has a chance to win on Saturday for the first time since a 24-21 victory in 1990.The Commodores have had an off week to prepare […]
Could Amorim’s system be a strength against Slot’s Liverpool?
Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports column in which Nick Wright uses a blend of data and opinion to shed light on need-to-know stories from up and down the Premier League. This week: 🔴 Amorim's system could trouble Liverpool💪 Merino showing his value to Arsenal🔍 A player to watch this weekendCould Amorim exploit a Liverpool weakness?Ruben Amorim's system continues to dominate the discourse around Manchester United. His devotion to playing three at the back has come to be seen as a flaw but it might just work in his side's favour when they face Liverpool on Super Sunday. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Gary Neville gave his verdict on Man Utd's win over Sunderland and responded to Ruben Amorim's comments saying his players are being influenced by criticism of his system Arne Slot's side, […]
Beachvolejbalisté Trousil se Sedlákem jsou na Filipínách v osmifinále
Trousil se Sedlákem, kteří se dali dohromady kvůli zdravotní indispozici svých stálých partnerů, nejprve porazili v dramatickém tie-breaku Australany Bena Hooda s Oliverem Merrittem. Poté si nasazené sedmičky bez ztráty setu poradily s jejich krajany Paulem Burnettem a Thomasem Hodgesem, kteří Čechy minulý týden vyřadili v kvalifikaci elitního podniku v Newport Beach.Neuschaeferová s Maixnerovou na úvod jednoznačně porazily americkou dvojici Avery Poppingaová, Kamila Tanová. V pátek se turnajové šestky utkají o osmifinále s Litevkami Jekatěrinou Kovalskou a Daniele Kvedaraiteovou.Turnaj Pro Tour kategorie Challenge v plážovém volejbalu v Nuvali (Filipíny):Muži:Skupina G: SEDLÁK, TROUSIL (7-ČR) - Hood, Merritt (26-Austr.) 2:1 (14, -19, 24)SEDLÁK, TROUSIL - Burnett, Hodges (10-Austr.) 2:0 (14, 17).Ženy:Skupina F: MAIXNEROVÁ, NEUSCHAEFEROVÁ (6-ČR) - Poppingaová, Tanová (27-USA) 2:0 (12, 9).
German Darts Championship schedule with Price, Wade in action
The regular European Tour darts campaign concludes this weekend with the Elten Safety Shoes German Darts Championship.The top 32 players in the season-long rankings will qualify for the European Championship in Dortmund from October 23-26, with Joe Cullen - currently 35th in the standings - needing to reach at least the last-16 in Hildesheim to have any chance of making the finale. Peter Wright won the German Darts Championship in 2024 after beating Luke Littler 8-5 in the final and starts his title defence against either Ricardo Pietreczko or Radek Szaganski in round two on Saturday afternoon.Newly-crowned World Grand Prix champion Littler, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson have opted out of this weekend's tournament. Image: Peter Wright is the defending champion in Hildesheim after beating Luke Littler in last year's final German Darts Championship scheduleFriday October 17 […]
2025 NFL cornerback rankings ahead of Week 7
Cooper DeJean tops the list for the first time in his career: DeJean allowed zero catches in coverage and continues to post elite metrics, giving up just 0.56 yards per cover snap and a first down or touchdown on only 24% of his targets. Johnson continues to shine in his rookie season: The Cardinals corner ranks third in the NFL in both yards allowed per cover snap (0.53) and forced incompletion rate (26.1%). He’s missed just one tackle all year. If quarterback is the most important position on the football field, then limiting the effectiveness of that player is the most important thing a defense can do. A team can achieve this in two ways: it can pressure the passer to disrupt their timing, rhythm and accuracy, or it can shut down the opposing receivers. Each week, after every NFL […]
Related
Energie reaguje na zranění Redlicha, na hostování přichází posila z Kladna
„Kuba je pro trenérský štáb známý hráč. Pavel Patera ho trénoval (v Kladně a Mladé Boleslavi - pozn. aut.) a zapadá mu do systému a do role, pro kterou ho bereme. Jsme rádi, že jsme se domluvili s Kladnem v tomto časovém presu. Při počtu zraněných hráčů, které momentálně máme, to pro nás bylo rychlé a dostupné řešení v rámci hokejového trhu,“ říká sportovní ředitel Karlových Varů Jiří Kalous.Strnad v aktuální sezoně nastoupil za Rytíře k sedmi zápasů a nebodoval. Kladenský odchovanec v nejvyšší soutěži odehrál za Kladno, Spartu, Mladou Boleslav a České Budějovice celkem 373 utkání s bilancí 36 gólů a 38 asistencí.Dres Energie by měl poprvé obléknout už v pátek při domácím střetnutí s posledním Litvínovem.
What to Watch: College football Week 8 viewer’s guide
Is Week 8 the best weekend of the 2025 college football season so far?The second half of the season kicks off with five matchups between ranked teams and a host of other intriguing games. Even Friday night has the potential for entertainment with Louisville visiting No. 2 Miami and a North Carolina team looking for something positive to happen on the field while heading across the country to visit Cal.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe third weekend of October should deliver. Here's what to watch in Week 8.No. 10 LSU at No. 17 VanderbiltWelcome to the 2025 college football season. Vanderbilt is favored over LSU and it’s not a shock. The Tigers have won 10 straight over the Commodores; Vanderbilt has a chance to win on Saturday for the first time since a 24-21 victory in 1990.The Commodores have had an off week to prepare […]
Could Amorim’s system be a strength against Slot’s Liverpool?
Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports column in which Nick Wright uses a blend of data and opinion to shed light on need-to-know stories from up and down the Premier League. This week: 🔴 Amorim's system could trouble Liverpool💪 Merino showing his value to Arsenal🔍 A player to watch this weekendCould Amorim exploit a Liverpool weakness?Ruben Amorim's system continues to dominate the discourse around Manchester United. His devotion to playing three at the back has come to be seen as a flaw but it might just work in his side's favour when they face Liverpool on Super Sunday. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Gary Neville gave his verdict on Man Utd's win over Sunderland and responded to Ruben Amorim's comments saying his players are being influenced by criticism of his system Arne Slot's side, […]
Beachvolejbalisté Trousil se Sedlákem jsou na Filipínách v osmifinále
Trousil se Sedlákem, kteří se dali dohromady kvůli zdravotní indispozici svých stálých partnerů, nejprve porazili v dramatickém tie-breaku Australany Bena Hooda s Oliverem Merrittem. Poté si nasazené sedmičky bez ztráty setu poradily s jejich krajany Paulem Burnettem a Thomasem Hodgesem, kteří Čechy minulý týden vyřadili v kvalifikaci elitního podniku v Newport Beach.Neuschaeferová s Maixnerovou na úvod jednoznačně porazily americkou dvojici Avery Poppingaová, Kamila Tanová. V pátek se turnajové šestky utkají o osmifinále s Litevkami Jekatěrinou Kovalskou a Daniele Kvedaraiteovou.Turnaj Pro Tour kategorie Challenge v plážovém volejbalu v Nuvali (Filipíny):Muži:Skupina G: SEDLÁK, TROUSIL (7-ČR) - Hood, Merritt (26-Austr.) 2:1 (14, -19, 24)SEDLÁK, TROUSIL - Burnett, Hodges (10-Austr.) 2:0 (14, 17).Ženy:Skupina F: MAIXNEROVÁ, NEUSCHAEFEROVÁ (6-ČR) - Poppingaová, Tanová (27-USA) 2:0 (12, 9).
German Darts Championship schedule with Price, Wade in action
The regular European Tour darts campaign concludes this weekend with the Elten Safety Shoes German Darts Championship.The top 32 players in the season-long rankings will qualify for the European Championship in Dortmund from October 23-26, with Joe Cullen - currently 35th in the standings - needing to reach at least the last-16 in Hildesheim to have any chance of making the finale. Peter Wright won the German Darts Championship in 2024 after beating Luke Littler 8-5 in the final and starts his title defence against either Ricardo Pietreczko or Radek Szaganski in round two on Saturday afternoon.Newly-crowned World Grand Prix champion Littler, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson have opted out of this weekend's tournament. Image: Peter Wright is the defending champion in Hildesheim after beating Luke Littler in last year's final German Darts Championship scheduleFriday October 17 […]
2025 NFL cornerback rankings ahead of Week 7
Cooper DeJean tops the list for the first time in his career: DeJean allowed zero catches in coverage and continues to post elite metrics, giving up just 0.56 yards per cover snap and a first down or touchdown on only 24% of his targets. Johnson continues to shine in his rookie season: The Cardinals corner ranks third in the NFL in both yards allowed per cover snap (0.53) and forced incompletion rate (26.1%). He’s missed just one tackle all year. If quarterback is the most important position on the football field, then limiting the effectiveness of that player is the most important thing a defense can do. A team can achieve this in two ways: it can pressure the passer to disrupt their timing, rhythm and accuracy, or it can shut down the opposing receivers. Each week, after every NFL […]
Be the first to leave a comment