13-05-2025
NBA Makes Hakeem Olajuwon Announcement Before Draft Lottery
The 2025 NBA draft lottery is set to take place in Chicago on Monday night, deciding the first 14 picks of the upcoming selection process.
The Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets hold the best odds to land the No. 1 overall pick at 14%, followed by the New Orleans Pelicans (12.5%) and Philadelphia 76ers (10.5%).
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The Houston Rockets, who finished the 2024-25 regular season as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, hold the No. 9 position via a trade with the Phoenix Suns. The Rockets have a 3.8% chance to claim the No. 1 overall pick and a 17.3% chance to land a top-four pick.
On Monday, the NBA announced the on-stage representatives for each of the 14 teams participating in the 2025 draft lottery.
The Rockets will be represented by all-time great NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon.
Behind the scenes in the drawing room, the Rockets will be represented by senior team counsel Sam Strantz.
Olajuwon entered the NBA as the Rockets' No. 1 overall pick in the 1984 draft. He spent 17 of his 18 professional seasons in Houston, earning 12 All-Star selections, two Defensive Player of the Year trophies and one NBA MVP award. He also led the franchise to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995, earning Finals MVP honors both times.
Former Houston Rockets Hakeem Olajuwon (left) sits courts side during the game between the Houston Cougars and the Memphis Tigers at Fertitta Lysaker-Imagn Images
The Rockets' impressive 2024-25 campaign came to an end with a disappointing Game 7 loss to the No. 7 seed Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. But with this year's first-round pick, the Houston franchise can add to their already-solid young core before the 2025-26 NBA season.
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The 2025 NBA draft lottery will begin at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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