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May 12, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, US; Representitives of the NBA teams walk onto the stage during the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery at McCormick Place. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images David Banks-Imagn Images

2025 NBA Draft Lottery’s Biggest Risers and Fallers

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated May 13, 2025 5:44 PM ET

With the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery in the rearview, the order is officially set. The Philadelphia 76ers will have a shot at two picks next month, as long as they don’t make any changes through trades.

Just like every year, some teams are feeling good about where they ended up after the ping pong balls decided who picks where within the top 14. Some others are feeling slighted.

That’s just the nature of the lottery, at the end of the day.

Which Teams Are Feeling Great About the Lottery Results?

Dallas Mavericks

Easy pick. Any team that wins the NBA Lottery is going to feel great. Any team that wins the lottery with a 10-spot jump is over the moon. The Mavs’ luck is on another level, to the point where NBA fans are calling it a conspiracy theory.

San Antonio Spurs

The team just won the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes two years ago makes a six-spot jump to select another potential franchise-changing type of player. Plus, the Spurs just picked fourth overall last year, landing the eventual Rookie of the Year, Stephon Castle. Many might say the future is bright in San Antonio for the post-Pop era.

Philadelphia 76ers

Bad luck on the injury front had the Sixers preparing for the worst on Monday. Many overlooked the fact that the Sixers are actually one of the luckiest teams in NBA Draft Lottery history. The theory was proven correct once again. Not only did the Sixers avoid falling out of the top six, which would’ve sent the pick over to Oklahoma City, but the Sixers ended up in the top three. A top player in the rookie pool won’t solve all of the Sixers’ problems, but it’s a nice consolation prize after a terrible year.

A Look at the Biggest Fallers in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery

Utah Jazz

Imagine winning just 17 of 82 games, getting told you have the best odds of drafting Cooper Flagg, then seeing your logo pop up four spots too early. The Utah Jazz are the Detroit Pistons of the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. They can still get a decent player in that slot, but you have to feel for the Jazz in this situation.

Washington Wizards

Not only did the Washington Wizards miss out on the top pick in 2024, losing to an unlikely Atlanta Hawks team, but the Wizards dropped down to sixth this year after being the worst team in the Eastern Conference. This season is a clear example of tanking not always being rewarded.

New Orleans Pelicans

All season long, the New Orleans Pelicans were sort of in a similar situation to the Sixers. They couldn’t stay healthy. Without their top star, Zion Williamson, the Pelicans simply aren’t competitive enough to make a run. New Orleans finished the year ranked fourth in the lottery standings. They won’t go on the clock until the seventh pick. Not only do the questions surrounding Zion’s future in New Orleans loom, but the Pelicans won’t be welcoming a top-five player this season.