Head coach Jordi Fernandez represented the Nets at Monday’s NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago.
Until this offseason, the franchise hadn’t owned a lottery pick since 2010 because of trades with other teams. And after having no selections in either round last summer, Brooklyn now holds four first-round picks and a high second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
The Nets’ decisions regarding their 2025 draft selections will significantly shape the direction of their rebuild. Here’s a breakdown of how the franchise has fared in the NBA Draft Lottery since it was established in 1985.
TOP SELECTIONS
The Nets have participated in the NBA Draft Lottery 12 times, securing the No. 1 overall pick three times. Two of those top selections were used to draft Derrick Coleman from Syracuse (1990) and Kenyon Martin from Cincinnati (2000).
In 1990, the Nets also won the No. 1 overall pick but traded it to the Charlotte Hornets, who selected Larry Johnson from UNLV. In return, the Nets acquired the No. 2 pick in the 1991 NBA Draft, which they used to draft Kenny Anderson from Georgia Tech.
Coleman played five seasons with the Nets and won Rookie of the Year in 1991. He was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 1993 and 1994 and made an All-Star appearance in 1994.
Martin earned All-Rookie First Team honors in 2001 and was named an All-Star in 2004, helping the Nets’ back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003.
OTHER NOTABLE SELECTIONS
1987: Dennis Hopson, G, Ohio State (No. 3 overall)
Hopson played three seasons with the Nets, averaging 13.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game.
1998: Chris Morris, F, Auburn (No. 4 overall)
Morris played seven seasons with the Nets, averaging 13.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.
1989: Mookie Blaylock, G, Oklahoma (No. 12 overall)
Blaylock played three seasons with the Nets, averaging 13.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.2 steals per game.
1995: Ed O’Bannon, F, UCLA (No. 9 overall)
O’Bannon played two seasons with the Nets, averaging 5.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.
1996: Kerry Kittles, G, Villanova (No. 8 overall)
Kittles played seven seasons with the Nets, averaging 14.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 1997.
2008: Brook Lopez, C, Stanford (No. 10 overall)
Lopez played nine seasons with the Nets, averaging 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2009 and made an All-Star appearance with the franchise in 2013. The center is the team’s all-time leading scorer (10,444) and also holds the record for seasons played.
2009: Terrance Williams, G, Louisville (No. 11 overall)
Williams played two seasons with the Nets, averaging 8.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
2010: Derrick Favors, F, Georgia Tech (No. 3 overall)
Favors played one season with the Nets, averaging 6.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2011.
WHAT COULD’VE BEEN
2012: Damian Lillard (No. 6 overall to the Portland Trail Blazers)
2016: Jaylen Brown (No. 3 overall to the Boston Celtics)
2017: Markelle Fultz (No. 1 overall to the Philadelphia 76ers via Boston)
2018: Collin Sexton (No. 8 overall to Cleveland Cavaliers via Boston)
2024: Reed Sheppard (No. 3 overall to the Houston Rockets)
