2025 NBA Draft: ChatGPT predicts the first 14 picks – USA Today
Artificial intelligence, as it turns out, is not quite intelligent enough to put together a full 2025 NBA mock draft.
It is, however, good enough to predict the lottery picks – the first 14 selections – in this year’s draft and provide some short analysis for each one.
USA TODAY Sports used ChatGPT to put together a full, first-round mock draft for the 2025 NBA Draft. The first 10 picks went smoothly, but after that, it couldn’t help but try to re-draft players who are already in the league despite multiple attempts to correct it. Or, when it wasn’t doing that, the AI chatbot was selecting players that did not declare for this year’s draft. Only after many more tries was a writer able to coax out the final four lottery picks from the AI.
Nevertheless, we persisted to cobble together a mock draft comprised of all top-14 picks this year. Here’s what ChatGPT thinks could happen with the lottery selections in the 2025 NBA Draft:
ChatGPT wrote: “Unanimous top pick; versatile two-way star, Wooden winner.”
It wrote: “Elite driver and scorer, shooting remains a question; consensus No. 2.”
It wrote: “Athletic playmaker and defensive force; top fit for Philly”
It wrote: “Sharpshooting wing with high floor; alternative to Edgecombe.”
It wrote: “Center with massive upside: elite rim protection, shooting upside.”
The AI chatbot wrote: “Scoring wing; draft stock wobbles due to skipped workouts, but talent keeps him high.”
ChatGPT wrote: “Dynamic scorer and facilitator; fits well with New Orleans’ team structure.”
It wrote: “High school track record and elite ball‐handling; playmaking upside.”
It wrote: “Freshman All‑Big East big; floor-spacing and shot-blocking ability.”
It wrote: “3‑and‑D wing and late first-round sleeper.”
Perhaps ChatGPT does not realize that the 10th overall pick is not necessarily “late” in the first round. Nevertheless, the mock draft continues.
The chatbot wrote: “Skilled big, draft stock ~11.”
It wrote: “Athletic forward with upside.”
It wrote: “Pro guard, Euro floor-general.”
ChatGPT wrote: “6’11” versatile forward.”
The 2025 NBA Draft begins with its first round on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET. And for the 12th time in the last 13 years, the Barclays Center will host the event – 2020 being the lone exception due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The second round will begin the following day, Thursday, also at 8 p.m. ET.
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