NBA Draft 2026: date, what it is and how it works

The NBA Draft is one of the most anticipated and closely followed events on the NBA calendar. Here’s a complete breakdown of how draft night works and what it means for the league’s newest talent.

What is the NBA Draft?

The NBA Draft is an annual event through which the league’s 30 teams select the top 60 young prospects coming from colleges or international leagues, following a predetermined selection order known as draft picks.

Players entering the Draft must be at least 18 years old and have either college or international basketball experience. The direct transition from high school to the NBA has not been permitted since 2006.

How does the NBA Draft work?

The NBA Draft is an annual event in which NBA franchises select new players to join their rosters.

The Draft consists of two rounds with 30 selections each, one pick per team. The order is determined by the standings from the previous season, with the goal of maintaining competitive balance across the league.

Here’s how the process works in general:

1. Eligibility: Players must meet NBA Draft eligibility requirements. Eligible prospects typically come from U.S. colleges, international leagues, or are international players who have reached the minimum required age (usually 19) and satisfied other NBA requirements.
2. Declaration of Eligibility: Players wishing to enter the Draft must formally declare their eligibility by a league-established deadline.
3. Lottery: The first 14 positions in the Draft are determined through the NBA Draft Lottery. Teams that missed the playoffs participate, with odds based on their regular-season record. The lottery determines the order of the first 14 selections.
4. Draft Order: After the lottery, the remaining draft positions are determined according to regular-season standings, with worse teams generally selecting earlier.
5. Player Selection: Teams select players in order. Each franchise has a limited amount of time to make its pick. The highest selections are typically viewed as the most valuable prospects available.
6. Trades: Teams may trade draft picks or players during the Draft. This allows franchises to move up or down the board or acquire established talent.

The NBA Draft gives teams an opportunity to improve their roster by adding young talent. However, the success of any selection ultimately depends on player development and performance throughout their career.

NBA Draft 1st round

The first 14 picks belong to teams that failed to qualify for the playoffs the previous season.

Among those 14 teams, the first four selections are determined by the Draft Lottery, a random drawing that assigns varying odds based on team records. The following 10 picks are ordered by regular-season record, with the worst teams selecting first.

The remaining 16 picks belong to playoff teams. The team with the best record among those franchises selects last in the first round.

NBA Draft 2nd Round

In the second round, the same draft order generally remains in place. One major variable is the trading of draft picks. It is common for teams to include picks in trades, allowing franchises to move up the board or acquire selections in more favorable positions.

The Draft system, together with the Salary Cap, was designed to prevent top talent from concentrating on only a handful of wealthy franchises and to promote competitive balance throughout the league.

Before the actual Draft takes place, it is common to see the release of numerous Mock Drafts. These projections are created by media outlets and analysts as speculative exercises designed to predict where prospects will be selected.

When is the 2026 NBA Draft?

The 2026 NBA Draft is scheduled to be held over two days for only the third time in league history: June 23 and June 24, 2026. These are the dates on which NBA teams will select players coming from college programs and international leagues. Draft dates can vary slightly from year to year, so checking official NBA channels is always recommended.

Where can you watch the 2026 NBA Draft?

The NBA Draft is traditionally broadcast live around the world. In the United States, coverage will air on ESPN and NBA TV. In Italy, fans can watch the event live on Sky Sport NBA, Sky Go, and NOW TV.

Several streaming services also provide access to the Draft. ESPN offers coverage through ESPN+, while other options may include NBA League Pass and streaming platforms such as YouTube TV.

How the Draft Lottery works

The NBA Draft Lottery is conducted through a random drawing system using a lottery machine. Each team is assigned a number of lottery balls based on its record from the previous season. The worse the record, the better the odds of landing a top selection.

Four lottery balls are drawn to determine the first 4 picks in the Draft. From picks 5 through 14, teams are ordered according to winning percentage, with the lowest winning percentage receiving the highest remaining pick.

2026 NBA Draft Lottery

On the night of May 10, the NBA officially established the order for the upcoming Draft through the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery.

The Washington Wizards secured the No. 1 overall pick, followed by the Utah Jazz and the Memphis Grizzlies.

Draft-Eligible Players

The following players may declare for the NBA Draft and become eligible to be selected among the 60 picks:

• Players who are at least 19 years old and have completed one year of college basketball
• Players who have completed their college eligibility
• International players aged 23 or older

Eligibility declarations must be submitted by a specific deadline. Following that process, the NBA organizes the pre-draft camp, giving prospects an opportunity to showcase their skills and attract attention from franchises across the league.

Individual teams may also invite specific prospects to private workouts as part of their evaluation process.