For the second consecutive year, the NBA Draft will be held over two days — with the first round set for Thursday, June 26 (Philippine time), followed by the second round on Friday, June 27.
Both events will begin at 8:00 a.m. (PH time).
The Dallas Mavericks, who had just a 1.8% chance of winning the lottery, vaulted 10 spots to claim the top overall pick — the largest jump in draft lottery history.
[ALSO READ: Dallas Mavericks overcome odds to land no. 1 pick in 2025 NBA Draft]
It marks the franchise’s first time selecting first overall since 1981, when they chose Mark Aguirre, and their highest pick since drafting Jason Kidd second in 1994.
Now the Mavericks — who traded away Luka Doncic at the deadline in exchange for Anthony Davis, lost Kyrie Irving to a season-ending ACL injury, and missed the playoffs just one year after reaching the NBA Finals — are expected to select presumed No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, barring any last-minute surprises
Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists as a one-and-done standout from Duke. The reigning Naismith Men’s National Player of the Year led the Blue Devils to a 35–4 record and an NCAA Final Four appearance last season.
If selected first, Flagg would join Elton Brand, Kyrie Irving, Zion Williamson, and Paolo Banchero as no. 1 overall picks out of Duke in the past three decades.
And the 18-year-old may not be the only Blue Devil to hear his name called early.
Sharpshooting wing Kon Knueppel and seven-foot athletic big man Khaman Maluach are also projected as lottery picks. That would give the nine-time NCAA men’s basketball champions three lottery selections in a single draft for the third time, matching their hauls in 1999 and 2019.
Another freshman duo, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey — who starred together at Rutgers — are poised to become the first lottery selections in Scarlet Knights men’s basketball history after standout seasons.
Harper, the son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper, set the program’s freshman scoring record, narrowly edging out Bailey, who now ranks second all-time among Rutgers freshmen.
Another second-generation prospect projected to be a lottery selection is Michigan State’s Jase Richardson, whose father, Jason, was the fifth overall pick in 2001 and a two-time Slam Dunk Contest champion.
The international presence in the draft remains strong, particularly from France.
Although Flagg is expected to break the streak started by 2023 Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama and last year’s top overall pick Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks, a new wave of French talent is set to make its mark in prospects such as Joan Beringer (Cedevita Olimpija), Noa Essengue (ratiopharm Ulm), Noah Penda (Le Mans), and Nolan Traoré (Saint-Quentin).
[ALSO READ: French Takeover: Zaccharie Risacher, Alexander Sarr go 1-2 in 2024 NBA Draft]
San Antonio, which drafted both Victor Wembanyama and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle in back-to-back years, will select second overall for the first time in franchise history.
The Spurs also own the No. 14 pick, making them the only team with multiple lottery selections in this year’s draft.
Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets hold five total picks — including the 8th, 19th, 26th and 27th — and are among several teams expected to make multiple first-round selections, joining the Suns, Wizards, Thunder, Jazz, Pelicans and Hawks.
Fresh off capturing the championship a few days ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder are set to pick at nos. 15 and 24.
[ALSO READ: Thunder overwhelm Pacers in Game 7 to win first-ever NBA championship]
Through a reported trade deal with the Phoenix Suns that brought two-time champion Kevin Durant to Houston, the Rockets also acquired the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft.
[ALSO READ: Kevin Durant headed to Houston Rockets in blockbuster trade — report]
South Carolina forward Collin Murray-Boyles is poised to become the Gamecocks’ first lottery pick and first first-rounder since Renaldo Balkman in 2006.
BYU’s Egor Demin and Illinois’ Kasparas Jakucionis reflect a growing trend of top international talent joining U.S. college programs. Both previously played for the second teams of Spanish clubs Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, respectively.
Montverde Academy — often dubbed basketball’s answer to Hogwarts — has its fingerprints all over this draft class once again. Flagg, Nique Clifford, Derik Queen (Maryland), Liam McNeeley (UConn) and Asa Newell (Georgia) were all teammates at the Florida powerhouse.
The school has become a pipeline to the NBA, producing stars like All-Star Cade Cunningham, 2022 Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, and Andrew Nembhard, who recently played in the NBA Finals with the Indiana Pacers.
Still, draft history shows that talent can emerge from anywhere.
Since the league shortened the draft to two rounds in 1989, 21 second-round picks have gone on to become All-Stars — including three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, reigning Clutch Player of the Year and New York Knicks star guard Jalen Brunson.
