NBA lottery results, full 2026 draft order, updates: Who gets No. 1 pick?
One team celebrated Sunday, May 10 when the NBA holds its lottery to determine the order of the 2026 NBA Draft.
The Washington Wizrds earned the No. 1 pick for the second time in three years, but there are multiple teams feeling good, falling into favorable position in what is expected to be a fairly deep draft that includes BYU's AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson of Kansas and Duke's Cameron Boozer at the top of boards and a strong class of potential impact players available from there.
The lottery determined the order for the first 14 picks of the first round of the draft, scheduled to take place June 23 and 24. The first-round order for positions 15-30 were already determined based on team records at the end of the 2025-26 regular season.
The teams with the three worst records this past season – the Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets – each had 14% odds to receive the No. 1 pick, but only the Wizards wound up with a top-four pick. The Pacers fell to five, which gave their pick to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Nets fell all the way to No. 6.
Here are the full results from the 2026 NBA Draft lottery.
USA TODAY Sports will have full coverage leading up to, during and immediately after the 2026 NBA Draft lottery. Follow along for updates:
Who are the top prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft?
Jon Hoefling
The 2026 draft is considered one of the deepest in recent memory, with numerous players holding the potential to change a franchise. USA TODAY's Bryan Kalbrosky has ranked the top-25 prospects in this year's draft pool. Check out his full list here.
Top-10 2026 NBA Draft prospects
- AJ Dybantsa, BYU
- Cameron Boozer, Duke
- Darryn Peterson, Kansas
- Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
- Keaton Wagler, Illinois
- Kingston Flemings, Houston
- Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
- Brayden Burries, Arizona
- Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
- Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville
Who might the Wizards take No. 1 overall?
Jon Hoefling
For the second time in three years, the Washington Wizards have the first overall pick in the NBA Draft. Unfortunately for Washington though, the No. 1 overall player available isn't so obvious as it has been in other recent years.
Who will they go with? The NCAA scoring champion in BYU's AJ Dybantsa? The legacy child, son of Carlos Boozer, Duke freshman Cameron Boozer? Or shock the world Caleb Wilson or Darryn Peterson?
USA TODAY's Bryan Kalbrosky believes Dybantsa is the obvious pick. He writes, "The Wizards finished with the worst record in the NBA and benefited tremendously from a lottery win. They had the second-worst offense in the league and could instantly inject life into their offense by selecting AJ Dybantsa, the NCAA scoring champion and Julius Erving Award winner."
He continues, "The Big 12 Rookie of the Year led the nation in unassisted points scored (680) by a wide margin this season, per CBB Analytics."
2026 NBA mock draft
Jon Hoefling
The 2026 NBA Draft is considered one of the deepest in recent memory. That said, that doesn't mean the No. 1 overall pick is worthless. Quite the contrary in fact.
With so many options the Wizards could go with, one misstep at any of the top 10-15 selections could spell disaster for that team.
Check out USA TODAY's Bryan Kalbrosky's updated mock draft here.
Biggest winners, losers from draft lottery
Jon Hoefling
The draft lottery was a huge success for many teams. However, for every winner, there's bound to be a loser. For example, the Indiana Pacers came into this draft with a 14% chance of earning the No. 1 overall pick, which would've been incredible for them. They also had a 52.1% chance of earning a top-four selection. That also would've been great.
However, due to the Ivica Zubac trade, the Los Angeles Clippers had the rights to the Pacers' pick if it fell between picks 5 and 9. Lo and behold, the Pacers fell to No. 5, giving their first-round pick to the Clippers.
USA TODAY's Lorenzo Reyes breaks down the biggest winners and losers from the draft lottery unveiling here.
Full 2026 NBA Draft order
Jon Hoefling
- Washington Wizards
- Utah Jazz
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Chicago Bulls
- Los Angeles Clippers (via IND)
- Brooklyn Nets
- Sacramento Kings
- Atlanta Hawks (via NOP)
- Dallas Mavericks
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Golden State Warriors
- Oklahoma City Thunder (via LAC)
- Miami Heat
- Charlotte Hornets
- Chicago Bulls (via POR)
- Memphis Grizzlies (via PHX)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (via PHI)
- Charlotte Hornets (via ORL)
- Toronto Raptors
- San Antonio Spurs (via ATL)
- Detroit Pistons (via MIN)
- Philadelphia 76ers (via HOU)
- Atlanta Hawks (via CLE)
- New York Knicks
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Denver Nuggets
- Boston Celtics
- Minnesota Timberwolves (via DET)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (via SAS)
- Dallas Mavericks (via OKC)
- New York Knicks (via WSH)
- Memphis Grizzlies (via IND)
- Brooklyn Nets
- Sacramento Kings
- San Antonio Spurs (via UTA)
- Los Angeles Clippers (via MEM)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (via DAL)
- Chicago Bulls (via NOP)
- Houston Rockets (via CHI)
- Boston Celtics (via MIL)
- Miami Heat (via GSW)
- San Antonio Spurs (via POR)
- Brooklyn Nets (via LAC)
- San Antonio Spurs (via MIA)
- Sacramento Kings (via CHA)
- Orlando Magic
- Phoenix Suns (via PHI)
- Dallas Mavericks (via PHX)
- Denver Nuggets (via ATL)
- Toronto Raptors
- Washington Wizards (via MIN)
- Los Angeles Clippers (via CLE)
- Houston Rockets
- Golden State Warriors (via LAL)
- New York Knicks
- Chicago Bulls (via DEN)
- Atlanta Hawks (via BOS)
- New Orleans Pelicans (via DET)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (via SAS)
- Washington Wizards (via OKC)
Washington Wizards get No. 1 pick
Jon Hoefling
For the second time in three years, the Washington Wizards have been granted the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team had a 17-65 record last season, the worst in the NBA and ented the lottery with 14% odds of earning the first pick and 52.1% odds of earning a top-four pick.
Utah Jazz get second pick
Jon Hoefling
The Utah Jazz have been granted the second pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team had a 22-60 record last season and ented the lottery with 11.5% odds of earning the first pick and 45.2% odds of earning a top-four pick.
Memphis Grizzlies get third pick
Jon Hoefling
The Memphis Grizzlies have been granted the third pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team had a 22-57 record last season and ented the lottery with 9% odds of earning the first pick and 37.2% odds of earning a top-four pick.
Bulls get No. 4 pick
Jon Hoefling
The Chicago Bulls have been granted the 4th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team had a 31-51 record last season and ented the lottery with 4.5% odds of earning the first pick and 20.3% odds of earning a top-four pick.
Clippers, via Pacers, get fifth pick
Jon Hoefling
The Los Angeles Clippers have been granted the 5th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team had a 42-40 record last season. The Clippers earned this pick only because the Pacers' pick fell outside the top-four and inside the top-ten, a huge get for the Clippers, who'd already traded their first round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Nets earn No. 6 pick
Jon Hoefling
The Brooklyn Nets have been granted the 6th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team had a 20-62 record last season and ented the lottery with 14% odds of earning the first pick and 52.1% odds of earning a top-four pick.
Kings get pick No. 7
Jon Hoefling
The Sacramento Kings have been granted the 7th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team had a 22-60 record last season and ented the lottery with 11.5% odds of earning the first pick and 45.2% odds of earning a top-four pick.
Atlanta Hawks earn 8th pick
Jon Hoefling
Via the New Orleans Pelicans, the Atlanta Hawks have been granted the 8th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team had a 46-36 record last season and ented the lottery with 6.8% odds of earning the first pick and 29.3% odds of earning a top-four pick.
Dallas Mavericks earn 9th pick
Jon Hoefling
After winning the draft lottery a year ago, the Dallas Mavericks have been granted the 9th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team had a 26-56 record last season and ented the lottery with 6.7% odds of earning the first pick and 29% odds of earning a top-four pick.
Milwaukee Bucks granted 10th pick
Jon Hoefling
The Milwaukee Bucks have been granted the 10th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team had a 32-50 record last season and ented the lottery with 0% odds of earning the first pick, thanks to a trade that ensured the Atlanta Hawks would get their pick if they were to pick ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans and 13.9% odds of earning a top-four pick.
Warriors given 11th pick
Jon Hoefling
The Golden State Warriors have been granted the 11th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team had a 37-45 record last season and ented the lottery with 2% odds of earning the first pick and 9.4% odds of earning a top-four pick.
Thunder earn 12th pick
Jon Hoefling
Thanks to the Paul George trade many years ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been granted the 12th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team had a 64-18 record last season, while the Clippers had a 42-40 43 record. The Thunder ented the lottery with 1.5% odds of earning the first pick and 7.1% odds of earning a top-four pick.
Heat given 13th pick
Jon Hoefling
The Miami Heat have been granted the 13th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team had a 43-39 record last season and ented the lottery with 1% odds of earning the first pick and 4.8% odds of earning a top-four pick.
Hornets given 14th pick
Jon Hoefling
The Charlotte Hornets have been granted the 14th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team had a 44-38 record last season and ented the lottery with 0.5% odds of earning the first pick and 2.4% odds of earning a top-four pick.
NBA draft lottery reform is on the table: What might change?
Josh Peter
The NBA teams with the worst records would no longer have the best chances of getting the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft as part of a potential, dramatic draft lottery reform, longtime NBA writer Mark Stein and others have reported.
In an apparent effort to discourage tanking, the teams with the fourth-worst through 10th-worst records each would have the best chances at the No. 1 pick – 8.1% – according to Stein. Those teams would get three lottery balls each, per ESPN.
By contrast, the NBA teams with the three worst records each would have a 5.4% chance at the top pick, according to Stein, who reported teams with the 11th-worst through 14th-worst records also would have a 5.4% chance at the top pick. Those teams would get two lottery balls.
USA TODAY Sports' Josh Peter has more on the evolving NBA draft lottery.
Most unlikely draft lottery winners in NBA history
Bryan Kalbrosky
One of the most exciting moments for a basketball franchise is if they learn they have won the NBA draft lottery, especially when it's unexpected.
Lottery odds formatting have changed several times since the system began in 1985 when the New York Knicks selected Patrick Ewing. In the future, the format might change again to help prevent tanking from league bottom-dwellers.
The upcoming 2026 NBA Draft Lottery is on May 10 in Chicago and will determine which teams will have a chance to draft top prospects like AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson.
14 teams will have a chance at No. 1 overall and with that in mind, here are all of the lottery winners who received the pick despite less than 10 percent odds.
USA TODAY Sports' Bryan Kalbrosky has a list of the most unlikely draft lottery winners in NBA history here.
NBA Draft lottery rules, history
Mark Giannotto
The NBA Draft lottery, first adopted by the league ahead of the 1985 draft, will dictate the order of selection for the first 14 picks of the 2026 NBA Draft scheduled for June 23 and 24. Teams that didn't make the NBA playoffs this season are assigned a pre-determined number of ping pong ball combinations based on their record. The teams with the three worst records this past season -- Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets -- each have 14% odds to receive the No. 1 pick.
The current NBA draft lottery format was approved before the 2018 draft and flattened the odds at the top of the draft lottery. Previously, the team with the worst record had 25% odds to get the No. 1 pick, the second-worst record had 19.9% odds and the third-worst record received 15.6% odds.
NBA mock draft ahead of lottery
USA TODAY Sports' Bryan Kalbrosky looks at the draft with a mock selection ahead of the lottery. Here are the top 3.
- 1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa
- 2. Indiana Pacers: Cameron Boozer
- 3. Brooklyn Nets: Caleb Wilson
You can view the rest of the selections here.
Who won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery?
Elizabeth Flores
The Dallas Mavericks captured the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, securing the coveted No. 1 overall pick for the first time in franchise history.
NBA Draft lottery format
Elizabeth Flores
Teams with the worst regular-season records each have a 14% chance of landing the coveted No. 1 overall pick. This system is designed to discourage intentional losing, commonly referred to as "tanking," while still providing struggling franchises with a legitimate shot at a franchise-altering selection. The lottery employs a suspenseful random drawing to determine the order of the first four picks in the NBA Draft. Once those top four spots are set, the remaining lottery teams select in reverse order of their regular-season records, ensuring a balanced, competitive draft process that keeps fan bases engaged and hopeful.
What time does the 2026 NBA Draft lottery start?
Ellen J. Horrow
The 2026 NBA Draft lottery is scheduled for Sunday, May 10 at 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. local) at McCormick Place in Chicago.
What teams are in the 2026 NBA Draft lottery?
Mark Giannotto
Note: Teams listed in order of regular-season record and odds to get the No. 1 pick through the 2026 NBA Draft lottery.
a-Pacers pick could convey to LA Clippersb-Pelicans pick will convey to Atlanta or Milwaukeec-Bucks pick could convey to Atlanta via New Orleansd-Clippers pick will convey to OKC Thunder
- Washington Wizards (17-65)
- a-Indiana Pacers (19-63)
- Brooklyn Nets (20-62)
- Sacramento Kings (22-60)
- Utah Jazz (22-60)
- Memphis Grizzlies (25-57)
- b-New Orleans Pelicans (26-56)
- Dallas Mavericks (26-56)
- Chicago Bulls (31-51)
- c-Milwaukee Bucks (32-50)
- Golden State Warriors (37-45)
- d-LA Clippers (42-40)
- Miami Heat (43-39)
- Charlotte Hornets (44-38)
2026 NBA Draft lottery odds
Mark Giannotto
Here are the odds for each NBA team in the draft lottery to receive the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft:
- Washington Wizards: 14%
- Indiana Pacers: 14%*
- Brooklyn Nets: 14%
- Utah Jazz: 11.5%
- Sacramento Kings: 11.5%
- Memphis Grizzlies: 9%
- New Orleans Pelicans: 6.8%*
- Dallas Mavericks: 6.7%
- Chicago Bulls: 4.5%
- Milwaukee Bucks: 3%*
- Golden State Warriors: 2%
- LA Clippers: 1.5%*
- Miami Heat: 1%
- Charlotte Hornets: 0.5%
- *Pacers pick could convey to LA Clippers
- *Pelicans pick will convey to Atlanta or Milwaukee
- *Bucks pick could convey to Atlanta via New Orleans
- *Clippers pick will convey to OKC Thunder
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