2026 NBA Draft: Complete Guide to Dates, Order, Lottery Results & How to Watch

Full 2026 Draft Order: First Round (Picks 1–14 via Lottery)

The Washington Wizards won the lottery with the worst record and the highest possible odds (14.0%), giving them the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since 2010 . The full top-14 lottery order, as confirmed by multiple outlets :

Picks 15–30 (first round) and 31–60 (second round) were set by reverse order of regular-season record after the lottery teams . For the full 60-pick order, see CBS Sports or ESPN .

Actual Top 3 Picks

• No. 1: Washington Wizards selected forward AJ Dybantsa out of BYU .
• No. 2: Utah Jazz took Darryn Peterson (Kansas) .
• No. 3: Memphis Grizzlies took Cameron Boozer (Duke) .

How the NBA Draft Lottery System Works

The current lottery format was adopted in 2017 and took effect starting with the 2019 draft . Key features:

• The three teams with the worst records each receive 14.0% odds of winning the No. 1 pick .
• The bottom team (worst record) cannot pick lower than 5th overall .
• The lottery determines only the top four picks; the remaining lottery positions (5–14) are assigned in inverse order of regular-season record.
• This replaced the prior system (1990–2018) where the worst team had a 25% chance and could fall no lower than 4th.

2026 Lottery Odds for All 14 Lottery Teams

Per the official NBA explainer for the 2026 lottery, the default odds for teams in reverse order of record :

In 2026, the Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, and Indiana Pacers all entered with 14.0% odds; the Wizards won .

Key Process Dates for 2026

Per the NBA's official announcement :

• Early-entry declaration deadline: April 24, 2026
• NBA Draft Combine: May 10–17, 2026
• NBA Draft Lottery: May 10, 2026 (held at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago)
• Early-entry withdrawal deadline: June 13, 2026
• Draft nights: June 23–24, 2026

Last 10 No. 1 Overall Picks

Confirmed via the official lottery winner history :

Lottery History (1985–2026)

The NBA Draft Lottery began in 1985. Its evolution :

• 1985–1989 — "Envelope era": 7 teams (later 9) with equal odds for the No. 1 pick.
• 1990–1993 — Weighted system introduced; lottery determined the first three picks.
• 1994–2018 — Expanded to 13 lottery teams (following two expansion franchises); odds further adjusted.
• 2019–present — Current "flat odds" system: three worst teams each get 14.0%, worst record drops no lower than 5th, lottery determines top four picks .

Notable lottery upsets include the Knicks in 1985 (Patrick Ewing, 14.3% odds), the Magic in 1993 (Chris Webber, 1.5% — the biggest leap ever), and the Mavericks in 2025 (Cooper Flagg, 1.8%) .

How to Watch

• United States: Round 1 aired on ABC and ESPN; Round 2 aired exclusively on ESPN. Both nights streamed on the ESPN App .
• International: Available through NBA League Pass.
• Canada: Broadcast on TSN and Sportsnet .

How to Attend (NBA Experiences)

• NBA Experiences (the league's official hospitality and travel package partner) offered ticket-and-experience packages to attend the draft live at Barclays Center, including premium seating, behind-the-scenes access, and meet-and-greet opportunities .