The Philadelphia 76ers didn’t win the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, but the team still came out of the process feeling lucky.
For the first time in years, the Sixers will have pick at the top of the first round of the draft after season marred by injuries and poor play.
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Will the team come out of the draft with a young star? Here’s what to know:
When is the 2025 NBA Draft?
First Round: June 25, 2025
Second Round: June 26, 2025
Where is the NBA Draft?
The 2025 NBA Draft will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
How to watch NBA Draft
Date: Wednesday, June 25 and Thursday, June 26
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
What pick did the Sixers get?
The hearts of Sixers fans likely sank during the lottery broadcast on ESPN.
Following some confusion after ESPN’s Kevin Negandhi — a Philly fan himself — said midway through the lottery that Philadelphia would lose the pick, the Sixers secured the No. 3 pick in the 2025 draft.
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If the selection landed at 7 or lower, the pick would then have been sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder to complete a 2020 trade that sent center Al Horford out of Philly for forward Danny Green.
Sixers 2025 draft picksWhen is the last time the Sixers picked No. 3?
The Sixers have picked No. 3 four times, including in 2014 when the team selected future MVP Joel Embiid out of Kansas. Here’s a look at Philadelphia’s other picks at three:
Charles Smith (traded to the LA Clippers for Hersey Hawkins and a 1989 first-round pick
Philadelphia also held the third pick in 2017, but traded it and a future first-round pick to the Boston Celtics to draft Markelle Fultz. The University of Washington guard mysteriously struggled with shooting and injuries after being drafted and was eventually traded to the Orlando Magic.
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With the third pick in 2017, Boston took forward Jayson Tatum — a six-time NBA All-Star and four-time All-NBA selection.
Who has the first pick in the NBA Draft?
After the shocking midseason trade which saw the team trade star Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dallas Mavericks were awarded the No. overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
There’s little doubt which player Dallas will select.
2025 NBA Draft Lottery results
11: Portland Trailblazers
NBA Draft order 2025: Philly gets No. 3 pick, but who will Sixers take? Rutgers’ Ace Bailey?
Who will Sixers draft? Top draft targets
Well, the Sixers didn’t end up with the first pick and the opportunity to draft Cooper Flagg, but they didn’t come up empty handed.
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Philadelphia gets to keep its pick and moved up two spots in the draft. Here’s a look at a few of the players who they might target at No. 3:
Dylan Harper, Rutgers
Freshman, guard, 6-6, 215, 19
2024-25 stats: 19.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 4.0 apg, 1.4 spg, 48.4% FG, 33.3% 3PT, 75% FT
Mar 12, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Dylan Harper (2) shoots the ball while USC Trojans guard Desmond Claude (1) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Ace Bailey, Rutgers
Freshman, guard-forward, 6-10, 200, 18
2024-25 stats: 17.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.3 bpg, 46% FG, 34.6% 3PT, 69.2% FT
Mar 4, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Ace Bailey (4) drives the ball around Purdue Boilermakers forward Camden Heide (23) during the first half at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
Freshman, guard, 6-5, 180, 19
2024-25 stats: 15.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.2 apg, 2.1 spg, 43.6% FG, 34% 3PT, 78.2% FT
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – MARCH 23: VJ Edgecombe #7 of the Baylor Bears reacts in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament against the Duke Blue Devils at Lenovo Center on March 23, 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Tre Johnson, Texas
Freshman, guard, 6-6, 190, 19
2024-25 stats: 19.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.7 apg, 42.7% FG, 39.7% 3PT, 87.1% FT
DAYTON, OHIO – MARCH 19: Tre Johnson #20 of the Texas Longhorns attempts a shot in the second half against the Xavier Musketeers in the First Four game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 19, 2025 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by )
USA Today NBA mock draft 2025
Check out USA Today’s latest NBA mock draft below:
Cooper Flagg, forward, Duke
Dylan Harper, guard, Rutgers
Ace Bailey, guard, Rutgers
VJ Edgecombe, guard, Baylor
Tre Johnson, guard, Texas
Jeremiah Fears, guard, Oklahoma
Kon Knueppel, guard-forwrd, Duke
Derik Queen, center, Maryland
Khaman Maluach, center, Duke
Kasparas Jakucionis, guard, Illinois
Collin Murray-Boyles, forward, South Carolina
Jase Richardson, guard, Michigan State
Noa Essengue, forward, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
Asa Newell, forward, Georgia
Liam McNeeley, forward, UConn
Nolan Traore, guard, Saint-Quentin (France)
Carter Bryant, forward, Arizona
Thomas Sorber, forward, Georgetown
Danny Wolf, forward-center, Michigan
Nique Clifford, guard, Colorado State
Joan Beringer, forward-center, KK Cedevita (Adriatic League)
Ben Saraf, guard, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
Will Riley, forward, Illinois
Rasheer Fleming, forward, Saint Joseph’s
Walter Clayton Jr., guard, Florida
Hugo Gonzalez, guard-forward, Real Madrid (Spain)
Yaxel Lendeborg, forward, UAB
Noah Penda, forward, Le Mans (France)
Kam Jones, guard, Marquette
Jeff Zillgitt, Lorenzo Reyes, James H. Williams and USA Today Network contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: When is the 2025 NBA Draft? Sixers picks, mock draft and how to watch