The Chicago Bulls will be anxiously awaiting the results of a handful of ping-pong balls alongside 13 other teams on Monday night.
This year’s NBA draft lottery is one of the most highly anticipated iterations of the event in recent history as teams jockey for a chance to take Duke standout Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick. The depth of this year’s draft class — which includes talent like Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey and Illinois star Kasparas Jakučionis — is a promising mechanism for teams attempting to rebuild their roster.
Do the Bulls have a shot at Flagg? And how does the draft lottery even work?
Here’s a breakdown of the whole process.
What is the NBA draft lottery?
The draft lottery is a mechanism by which the NBA determines the order for the first 14 picks of the annual draft. This randomized procedure is meant to create parity among losing teams.
The process operates by feeding ping-pong balls into a lottery machine built by the Smart Play Company. The machine is programmed to mix the balls into a total of 1,001 different order combinations, which accounts for the varied weighted odds.
After a 20-second mixing period, the machine will spit out a ball to determine the No. 1 pick. This process is repeated 13 more times for the final iteration of the draft order, with a 10-second mixing period between each selection.
How are the odds set?
Draft lottery odds are based on the final position of the teams that do not make the playoffs this year. The overall odds are weighted based on where a team finished in the standings, which means the team with the worst record in the 2024-25 season will receive the best draft odds.
This got a little more confusing since the introduction of the play-in tournament in 2020. Several teams each year now advance to the postseason to compete in the play-in tournament, but will not advance to the playoffs. This is the situation for the Bulls this year — although they did finish high enough to qualify for the play-in tournament, they lost to the Miami Heat in the opening round and missed the playoffs.
Finishing at the bottom of the league does not guarantee a No. 1 overall pick, but it greatly improves a team’s odds. For instance, the bottom three teams in the league at the end of the season have a 14% respective chance to land the No. 1 pick. This is why many teams attempted to artificially deflate their results this year to earn a stronger standing in the draft lottery.
Which teams are in the lottery this year?
The Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets were the three worst teams in the league, which means they have the top odds to land No. 1.
The remainder of the draft lottery order: the New Orleans Pelicans, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks, Bulls and Atlanta Hawks.
Who’s in the room?
The entire draft lottery takes place in a room with a small group of witnesses, which includes representatives from the league and each participating team, select media members and accounting representatives from Ernst & Young.
Could the Bulls still get the No. 1 overall pick?
Technically, yes.
The Bulls did not attempt to tank at any point this season, which diminished their overall odds in the lottery. By making the play-in tournament in ninth position in the Eastern Conference, the Bulls finished 12th out of the 14 teams in the lottery. This gives them a 1.7% chance of winning the lottery and an 8% chance of finishing in the top four of the draft.
These odds may feel a bit familiar. The Bulls had a 1.7% chance to win the draft lottery in 2008, when they ultimately landed the No. 1 pick to bring Derrick Rose home to Chicago. At this point in the process, the Bulls are relying purely on luck to change their fate in the 2025 draft.
How can we watch?
The broadcast for the draft lottery will take place at 6 p.m. on ESPN.
When is the NBA draft?
The NBA draft will begin at 7 p.m. on June 25 in Brooklyn, N.Y., and will continue with the second round the following night.