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

The first official event leading up to the NBA Draft is the NBA Draft Lottery, one of the most anticipated moments of the NBA offseason for basketball fans around the world, as it plays a major role in shaping the future of the league’s incoming talent.

The Lottery is a crucial event for NBA teams because it determines each franchise’s chances of landing the top prospects in the draft class, making it a significant factor in their long-term future.

What is the NBA Draft Lottery?

The NBA Draft Lottery is an annual event held shortly before the NBA Draft that determines the order in which teams will select new players on draft night.

The odds of winning the No. 1 overall pick are assigned based on a team’s position in the standings at the end of the Regular Season. However, teams can trade their draft picks to other franchises in exchange for players or future draft assets.

The first overall pick is often considered the most valuable selection because it allows a team to choose the best available prospect. That said, there have been numerous cases where players selected later in the draft developed into NBA superstars, proving that draft position is not always the determining factor in future success (here you can find the 10 worst NBA Draft picks ever made).

Over the years, the NBA Lottery system has also generated controversy and criticism. Some franchises have accused the league of favoring certain teams, while others have argued that the system should more heavily reward teams with the worst records.

Regardless, the NBA Lottery remains one of the league’s most anticipated events and one of the most important moments of the year for teams looking to improve their roster. The popularity of annual Mock Drafts, where analysts attempt to predict selections and draft positions, is further proof of its importance.

Beginning in 2019, the NBA introduced a new rule under which the first three picks in the draft are determined through the lottery. Previously, only the No. 1 overall pick was selected that way, while the remaining top selections were awarded according to the standings.

The changes discussed by the league during the 2025-26 season will be implemented starting with the 2027 NBA Draft, introducing a new “3-2-1” system designed to combat tanking through additional penalties and restrictions.

How does the NBA Draft Lottery work?

During the NBA Draft Lottery, the 14 teams with the worst records from the previous Regular Season participate in the drawing. Each franchise is assigned odds of obtaining the No. 1 overall pick based on its position in the standings: the team with the worst record receives the highest odds, while the team with the best record among lottery teams receives the lowest.

The drawing itself is conducted using a lottery machine containing numbered balls. Each combination corresponds to one of the 14 participating teams. The balls are white, feature the NBA logo, and measure approximately 4 centimeters in diameter.

The first four winning combinations determine the order of the first four selections in the draft. The remaining teams then pick in reverse order of the standings, meaning the team with the worst remaining record receives the fifth pick, the next team receives the sixth pick, and so on.

When was the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery held?

The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery took place on Wednesday, May 10, 2026, and was broadcast live across the United States and in many countries around the world.

In general, the Lottery is always held in May, just a few weeks before the NBA Draft, which typically takes place in late June.

When was the NBA Draft Lottery created?

The NBA Lottery was introduced in 1985 as a way to reduce “tanking”, the practice of teams intentionally losing games to improve their chances of securing the No. 1 overall pick. Since then, the system has undergone several modifications aimed at improving fairness and transparency throughout the draft-selection process.

NBA Draft Lottery 2026 odds

The NBA Lottery works by assigning 1,001 different number combinations, ranging from 1 to 14, to the 14 lottery teams. The worse a team’s Regular Season record, the more combinations it receives.

The NBA draws four different four-number combinations. The first winning combination earns the No. 1 overall pick, followed by the second, third, and fourth selections until the top four picks have been assigned.

Selections from No. 5 through No. 60 are then ordered according to regular-season records.

2026 NBA Draft Lottery results

The Washington Wizards won the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft after entering the lottery among the favorites alongside the Nets and Pacers. It marked the franchise’s first lottery victory since 2010 (when they selected John Wall).

After enduring three of the worst seasons in the franchise’s 65-year history and finishing with a 17-65 record, Washington’s 14% chance of winning the lottery paid off, giving the organization an opportunity to accelerate its rebuild. Rounding out the top four selections were the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, and Chicago Bulls.