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Kevin Durant Made Astute Point About Tanking After Results of NBA Draft Lottery
The Dallas Mavericks stole the show at the NBA draft lottery on Monday night, overcoming microscopic odds to secure the No. 1 overall pick and the chance to select Duke star Cooper Flagg. But aside from the Mavericks, the biggest story of the night was the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz, who had the worst and second-worst records in the league respectively, not being rewarded for how poor they were in 2024–25.
The Wizards, Jazz and Charlotte Hornets each had a 14% chance to land the top overall pick in the draft lottery. And fortune did not smile upon the have-nots, as the Hornets landed the fourth pick, followed by the Jazz at five and the Wizards at pick No. 6.
Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant, like NBA fans, noticed. Durant took to his account on X to share an astute observation about the teams who tanked, or lost profusely with the hopes that it would ultimately pay off in the end.
Tanking must be really stressful on a organization.
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) May 13, 2025
Indeed. One can imagine the top decision-makers of these organizations pulling hair out while watching the Mavericks, armed with a 1.8% chance to land the top selection, somehow end up at the top of the draft board.
It was enough to make fans wonder.
And enough for Durant to point out that the juice isn't worth the squeeze for teams who try to tank to the top.
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Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.