By NOAH TRISTER

Patrick Ewing was poised to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft 40 years ago when Commissioner David Stern began the first draft lottery by pulling a logo of the Golden State Warriors out of an envelope — indicating they would select seventh.

Pat O’Brien, announcing for CBS, proclaimed: “And the first team to hate the lottery.”

Now the question is who will be the next team to hate the lottery. Utah, Washington or Charlotte, perhaps? Each has a league-best 14% chance of picking first this year.

“That day we don’t have a lot of control over. The balls will tell us our fate,” Wizards general manager Will Dawkins told Monumental Sports Network recently — a reference to the table tennis balls in a lottery machine that determine the top few picks.

Back in 1985, Stern simply picked envelopes out of a drum, a process seized upon by conspiracy theorists suspicious of the ultimate result that sent Ewing to the New York Knicks. The Warriors had finished tied for the league’s worst record in the 1984-85 season, but they received the No. 7 pick.

Duke star Cooper Flagg is expected to be the first player taken in next month’s draft but nothing is guaranteed.

The lottery is now an annual NBA event in which largely downtrodden teams find out if fortune is smiling on them. Every franchise has had significant experience with the lottery — with some certainly enjoying it more than others.

The Associated Press reviewed each franchise’s draft lottery history. Here are a few highlights and lowlights:

— Most lottery wins. The record for lottery wins is four, by Cleveland and Orlando. The Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia and San Antonio have received the top pick three times.

— No lottery wins. Eight franchises have never won the lottery: The Grizzlies, Heat, Jazz, Lakers, Mavericks, Nuggets, Pacers and Thunder. Dallas, Denver and Memphis have been particularly unlucky, and Minnesota had a brutal lottery record before finally landing the No. 1 pick in 2015 and 2020.

— Longest long shots. Orlando snagged the top pick in 1993 despite a probability of 1.5%. Chicago in 2008 and Cleveland in 2014 each had a 1.7% chance when they won.

— Best odds on Monday. Each team in the lottery had an equal chance of picking No. 1 during the early years. Then a weighted system was introduced. After Orlando’s 1993 win, the teams at the top of the lottery were given slightly better chances, but lately that’s reverted back a bit. Following Utah, Washington and Charlotte this year are New Orleans (12.5%), Philadelphia (10.5%), Brooklyn (9%), Toronto (7.5%), San Antonio (6.7%), Houston (3.8%), Portland (3.7%), Dallas (1.8%), Chicago (1.7%) and Sacramento (0.8%).

— Record-setting Warriors. For much of the lottery’s history, there’s been a limit to how far teams can fall, so nobody has ever dropped again the way Golden State did in 1985.

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(AP reviewed data on realgm.com to compile this report.)

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

LaunchBreak presents an innovative professional development platform that is specifically designed to harness the competitive advantages of female athletes in corporate leadership. The service capitalizes on compelling research showing 94% of C-suite women have sports backgrounds, as well as the stark gender disparity in executive roles, where women currently hold just 3.4% of CEO positions globally.

LaunchBreak was founded by former Division 1 tennis players Philippa Portnoy and Teresa Saputo-Crerend. The professional development platform recognizes the transferable skills developed through athletics — from teamwork and resilience to strategic thinking — and provides targeted career support, including mentorship connections, resume optimization, and interview preparation.

By creating a dedicated networking community for women with athletic backgrounds, LaunchBreak offers a unique value proposition that differentiates it from generic professional development services.

Image Credit: LaunchBreak

BELTON, TX (May 9, 2025) — Central Texas College celebrated a significant milestone during its Spring 2025 Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 9, recognizing a 33 percent increase in graduates compared to last year. A total of 1,472 students earned degrees or certificates this spring—up from 991 in Spring 2024. 

“This remarkable growth is more than just a number—it’s a reflection of perseverance, support, and the shared commitment to student success,” said Dr. Michele J. Carter, Chancellor of Central Texas College. “We are proud of every graduate and grateful to the faculty, staff, and partners who helped them complete this journey.” 

Graduates Represent Central Texas and Beyond 

CTC’s Class of 2025 reflects the college’s broad regional reach and diverse student body. Graduates hailed from across Central Texas and beyond, including Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Fort Cavazos, Belton, Temple, Austin, Burnet, Columbus, Cypress, Edinburg, Granger, Harlingen, Houston, Kempner, Kerrville, Lampasas, Leander, Manor, Moody, Nolanville, Princeton, Salado, and San Antonio. 

Military-Affiliated Graduates 

CTC’s legacy of serving military-connected students remains strong. Among the Spring 2025 graduates: 

• • 376 were active-duty Army 
• • 492 were military family members 
• • 556 were non-military civilians 
• • Additional graduates included service members from the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, National Guard, and Coast Guard 

High School Dual Credit Graduates 

This spring, 260 high school students earned college credentials before graduation through CTC’s early college and dual credit programs: 

• • 152 from Killeen ISD Early College High School 
• • 39 from the STEM Academy 
• • 35 from Killeen ISD dual credit programs 
• • 34 from Copperas Cove ISD dual credit programs 

“These students are leaving high school with college credentials already in hand. It’s an outstanding achievement that highlights the strength of our partnerships with area school districts,” Carter said. “Central Texas College remains committed to expanding access to higher education—especially for first-generation college students, military-connected students, and economically challenged students.” 

For more information on CTC programs and enrollment, visit www.ctcd.edu. 

Advance online tickets are on sale for the upcoming Interscholastic Girls High School Football League semifinal matches kicking off at 4:30 p.m. Monday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center.

Tickets are $5 each for all spectators and available for purchase online through GuamTime at https://events.guamtime.net/event/girls-hs-semi-finals

The semifinals will feature Harvest Christian Academy Eagles taking on defending champions John F. Kennedy High School Islanders at 4:30 p.m. at GFA 1 (upper pitch) and St. John’s School Knights playing against No. 1 Academy of Our Lady of Guam Cougars at 4:30 p.m. at GFA 2 (lower pitch).

During the regular season, the Islanders defeated the Eagles 2-1 on April 29, while the Cougars defeated the Knights 2-1 the following day.

Gates will open at 3:30 p.m. Monday for the semifinal matches at GFA. Spectators are not allowed to bring in any outside food and drinks, alcohol, pets, or coolers to the venue for the Girls High School league matches. Additionally, smoking – including vaping and e-cigarettes – is strictly prohibited at GFA.

Advance online tickets sales for the championship match and the third-place match will open after the semifinals through GuamTime at https://events.guamtime.net/event/girls-hs-football-league-consolation-and-championship.

AI-assisted summary
• Gulf Breeze High School’s beach volleyball team won their second state championship in three years.
• They defeated New Smyrna Beach 3-0 in the Class 2A title game.
• The Dolphins finished the season with a 21-3 record and district, regional, and state titles.

The crown has been defended.

The Gulf Breeze beach volleyball team, in just its third year of existence, has won its second state championship after beating New Smyrna Beach, 3-0, in the Class 2A title game on May 10 at Florida State in Tallahassee. Playing just until they needed to win, the Dolphins’ first three pairings that played – the two’s, four’s and five’s – secured the abbreviated sweep.

Izzy Beech and Carmyn Ferguson put Gulf Breeze up, 1-0, after beating New Smyrna’s Beach squad in the fourth pairing, 21-10 and 21-6. Then Sydney Sutter and Allie Hepworth – who helped clinch the state crown in 2024 – won in the second pairing bout with set scores of 21-9, 17-21 and 15-7.

Sienna Wnetrzak and Emma Stromsness won in the fifth pairing battle, 21-13 and 21-13, to claim the crown as the state championship match was played until a team won, not all five pairings.

Delaney Rich and Peyton McDonald, in the third pairing, had won its first set, 21-9, and was in the middle of its second set, as well. Bella Satterwhite and Estelle Reese, in the first pairing, was in its first set that didn’t finish yet.

Gulf Breeze caps off its 2025 season with the District 1-2A, Region 1-2A and now state championships, along with a 21-3 overall record. This was the first year beach volleyball had full region tournaments, and the Dolphins were not fazed at all.

The sweep against New Smyrna Beach gave Gulf Breeze back-to-back sweeps after topping Fort Myers, 5-0, in the state semifinals to go undefeated throughout the Final Four weekend in Tallahassee. It was the Dolphins’ 15th sweep overall on the season.

The Dolphins virtually returned every starter from last year, minus two, and could be in good position again next year. There are only six seniors on the roster, five of which were in the starting pairs. Meaning half of the starters could be back in 2026.