Will the Nets finally snap the league’s longest draft lottery drought?

Nov 21, 2018; Dallas, TX, USA; A view of the team logo on the shorts of Brooklyn Nets forward Jared Dudley (6) as he warms up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

For the last 14 years, the Brooklyn Nets have not made a single lottery pick in the NBA Draft. Every other NBA team has selected a player in the lottery during that timespan – except for the Nets. 2025 should be the year when that draft drought finally ends.

The Nets currently hold the sixth-best odds in this year’s draft, and have a 9.0% chance of winning the first overall selection. It appears to be a good time to be back in the mix, as consensus top prospect Cooper Flagg out of Duke is entering the draft and could quickly change the fortunes of the franchise lucky enough to land him. The Nets haven’t won the first pick in the draft in nearly a quarter of a century. In the year 2000, the Nets selected Kenyon Martin in one of the worst draft classes in NBA history.

The last time the Nets had to sit and watch ping pong balls just like everyone else was way back in 2010, when the franchise (then in New Jersey) selected big man Derrick Favors with the No. 3 overall selection. 

Snapping the streak in the 2025 NBA Draft would officially put an end to a long era of future assets being squandered. The Nets are still dealing with the ramifications of the Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett blockbuster deal and multiple other questionable decisions by ownership and management that are now long gone, but this could be the year where it all finally gets put behind them.  

The Nets will find out where their lottery pick will land on May 12th, but it’s unclear just how Brooklyn will weaponize what should be a high overall choice. The Nets have the most cap room in the NBA this offseason and are loaded with future draft picks after years of recovery. Brooklyn owns a total of four first round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft alone, as the Milwaukee Bucks (19), New York Knicks (26) and Houston Rockets (27) all owe their selections to Brooklyn.

Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp

Of course, it’s not a guarantee that the Nets will actually end up making a selection in the lottery. The Nets don’t have any real stars currently in place, so it’s not unthinkable that Brooklyn could deal this year’s pick for multiple future picks and continue to stock the cupboard. That may be unlikely, but only time will tell if Brooklyn actually snaps the NBA’s longest lottery streak and ultimately makes a selection in the 2025 NBA Draft. 

More NBA: Nets' Cam Johnson hints at desire for trade to Western Conference powerhouse