Sixers
76ers Land No. 3 Overall Pick in 2025 NBA Draft
Published12 May 2025
Everyone in the Delaware Valley can breath a sigh of relief. The Philadelphia 76ers underwent one of the most disastrous seasons of basketball in recent memory. However, they will come away with a chance to add a premier talent to the roster. Philadelphia will officially have the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
The No. 3 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery goes to the Philadelphia 76ers.
🎟️: https://t.co/2q6vnc6AMW pic.twitter.com/JazVXkpBgX
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 12, 2025
The Sixers came into the NBA draft lottery needing their pick to land inside the first six picks of the draft in order to retain their selection. If the pick fell outside the top-six, it would have conveyed to the Oklahoma City Thunder due to the Al Horford trade back in 2020. Philadelphia, with the fifth-worst record in the league, had a 63.9% chance of keeping their pick. After all the ping pong balls settled, the Sixers finished with the third pick in the draft, an outcome that had 10.6% odds of happening going into the draft lottery.
With the Sixers keeping their 2025 first-round pick, Philadelphia will now owe their 2026 first-rounder (top-four protected) to the Thunder. In the event the pick does not convey in 2026, the Sixers would owe their 2027 first-rounder (top-four protected) to Oklahoma City. If the Sixers’ first-round pick fails to convey in either year, the Sixers would instead owe Oklahoma City their 2027 second-round pick.
While this outcome is not the absolute best-case scenario for the Sixers, it is close to it. Possessing the third overall pick will allow the Sixers to add a top-tier talent to a roster already consisting of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George amongst others. Duke forward Cooper Flagg is the consensus No. 1 overall pick. After Flagg goes off the board, there are a handful of players who all present enticing options for the Sixers. Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, V.J. Edgecombe, Tre Johnson and Derik Queen would all potentially be strong picks for the Sixers.
The Sixers are surely feeling a ton of relief at coming away from the lottery with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. There are still reasons for concern about the Sixers’ near-term outlook. However, having the chance to add another foundational piece to the roster gives further reason for optimism in the organization’s ability to turn things around.
