Hornets secure fourth pick in 2025 NBA draft after Mavericks win lottery

Roderick Boone, The Charlotte Observer on May 12, 2025

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CHICAGO — Chalk up yet another disappointing night for the Charlotte Hornets.

Armed with the top odds — along with Utah and Washington — to land the No. 1 overall pick, the Hornets failed to win the 2025 NBA draft lottery on Monday night at McCormick Place, foiling the opportunity to secure a potentially franchise-altering player in Duke product Cooper Flagg.

Instead, the Hornets will select fourth in the league’s annual draft on June 25-26 in New York.

The Dallas Mavericks won the lottery and will pick first followed by San Antonio, Philadelphia, Charlotte and Utah to round out the first five spots. The Mavericks had a 1.8% chance to claim the top position.

With Flagg surely off the board when the Hornets are on the clock, they could turn to Rutgers products Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper. The duo is expected to be among the top five players selected and many team officials, scouts and talent evaluators will get a shot to see many of them up close and in person during the NBA draft combine, which tipped off on Monday across the street from where the lottery was held.

Not securing the No. 1 pick is nothing new for the Hornets.

Charlotte was looking for its first lottery win since 1991, when the Hornets grabbed Larry Johnson. Although they’ve come close now three times in the past five years, selecting LaMelo Ball at No. 3 overall in 2020 and Brandon Miller second behind Victor Wembanyama in 2023, the ability to choose the best prospect in the draft class still remains elusive for the Hornets.

Now, they’ll turn their attention to another important offseason with the goal of reconstructing a roster that will finally end the NBA’s longest playoff drought.

Washington will select sixth in June’s draft followed by New Orleans, Brooklyn, Toronto and Houston.

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