The Wizards' sixth-place finish in the 2025 NBA Draft lottery was disappointing for fans expecting a top pick. However, the panic and despair following the announcement has been exaggerated. With a new management team in place, the Wizards are embarking on a rebuild focused on ambition and patience. The draft odds supported their position as having a 47% chance of landing picks five or six, highlighting that the lottery outcome should not dictate their future. Furthermore, many stars in the NBA were not top picks, showcasing that draft position does not determine success.
The outrage over landing the sixth pick ignores the math. The Wizards had just a 14% chance at the No. 1 pick, and about a 1-in-4 shot at the top two.
Wizards fans carry scars from the decades of #SoWizards ineptitude that trained them to see the world with a jaundiced eye. But this isn't the same old Wizards.
Draft Position Isn't Destiny. Fans treat the top of the draft like it's the only place to find stars, but the current NBA playoffs paint a far different picture.
Among the 24 top-three players on playoff teams, only seven were drafted in the top five: Tatum, Brown, Edwards, Towns, Holmgren, Gordon, and Mobley.
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