Mar 30, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee reacts during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Charles Lee reacts to the Hornets landing the fourth pick in the 2025 NBA draft

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Schuyler Callihan | Last updated May 14, 2025 10:22 AM ET

For a moment, it felt like the Charlotte Hornets were in position to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz, the other two teams who had a 14% chance of winning the draft lottery, fell out of the top four, which gave Charlotte the highest percentage of the teams that were yet to be revealed.

Now, behind closed doors, the lottery is done in a much different way. They start with the first pick and go on from there, using combinations of the ping-pong balls. Co-owner Rick Schnall didn't have the same anxiety as head coach Charles Lee or Hornets fans did watching the reveal live on ESPN. He knew right off the bat.

While falling out of the top three is a bummer, it's not the end of the world. This is a talented class, and there could still be a franchise-altering player there when they pick at No. 4.

“I see a very deep draft class, so excited we’re able to stay in that top four," Charles Lee said following the lottery. "Things got kind of tense there, and you’re wondering how things are going to fall out, but again, I think deep draft. I think that our front office has identified a lot of people in this draft class that fit that Hornets DNA, and I look forward to continuing to build sustainable success with this new piece that we’ll get.”