The Hawks finished with a 46-36 record, after a strong push in the second half of the season. They were the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference and surpassed the play-in tournament for the first time in four years.
Even with that success, they are in the NBA draft lottery and have a chance to land the No. 1 overall pick for the second time in the last three years. Winning is everything in this draft, as it’s regarded as one of the best talent pools in years. Brigham Young University’s AJ Dybantsa, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and Duke’s Cameron Boozer are projected as the top choices.
Beyond the lottery pick, the Hawks also have the No. 23 pick, which came from the Cavaliers.
How does the NBA draft lottery work?
The 14 teams with the worst records in the regular season are placed in the lottery to make the top picks in the draft. Many teams traded their picks in previous deals, so other squads — some of whom made the playoffs this season, like the Hawks and defending champion Thunder — have chances in the lottery.
The three teams with the worst records (Wizards, Pacers and Nets) each have a 14% chance of getting the top pick, followed by the Jazz and Kings (11.5%) and Nets (9%), down to the Hornets (0.5%).
The Hawks are in the lottery after trading last year’s first-round pick (No. 13 overall) to the Pelicans, who selected center Derik Queen. The Hawks received the No. 23 pick (Asa Newell) and the Pelicans’ unprotected first-round pick this year.
What are the odds the Hawks pick first?
The Hawks have two chances to get a top pick. Through trades, they will get the more favorable of the picks of the Pelicans (6.8% chance at No. 1) or Bucks (3%).
In 2024, when the Hawks had the 10th-best odds, with just a 3% chance, they defied the numbers, got the top pick and selected wing Zaccharie Risacher.
If not first, where will the Hawks likely pick?
In all, the Hawks have about a 29.3% chance to get a pick in the top four, but they’re more likely to pick seventh, which is where the Pelicans’ odds currently sit.
There’s a chance that the Hawks could fall below seventh, if teams below that Pelicans pick jump above into the top four.
According to Tankathon, the Pelicans’ and Bucks’ picks have the following odds:
1st: Pelicans: 6.8%, Bucks: 3%
2nd: Pelicans: 7.1%, Bucks: 3.3%
3rd: Pelicans: 7.5%, Bucks: 3.6%
4th: Pelicans: 7.9%, Bucks: 4%
5th: Pelicans: None, Bucks: None
6th: Pelicans: None, Bucks: None
7th: Pelicans: 19.8%, Bucks: None
8th: Pelicans: 35.6%, Bucks: None
9th: Pelicans: 13.8%, Bucks: None
10th: Pelicans: 1.4%, Bucks: 65.9
11th: Pelicans: Below 0.1%, Bucks: 19
Who are the Hawks’ recent first-round picks?
2025: Derik Queen (13th, traded to Pelicans), Drake Powell (22nd, traded to Nets)
2024: Zaccharie Risacher (1st)
2023: Kobe Bufkin (15th)
2022: A.J. Griffin (16th)
2021: Jalen Johnson (20th)
2020: Onyeka Okongwu (6th)
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
