When is the 2026 NBA Draft? Start time, how to watch

The Barclays Center lays quiet for now. But we are just one day away from the 2026 NBA Draft, and when that starts, there is sure to be mayhem in that building.

For now, though, all we can do is wait, with bated breath, biting our fingernails, and wondering who will land where.

This year's draft has a bevy of talented young stars, so much so that even experts are not sure who will be taken where. This year's draft could easily end up being one of the most surprising in recent memory.

Here's everything you should know about the 2026 NBA Draft a day before the first round gets underway:

When is the NBA draft?

The first round of the NBA draft will take place on Tuesday, June 23 at 8 p.m. ET. The second round of the draft will take place a day later on Wednesday, June 24, also at 8 p.m. ET.

What time is the NBA draft?

The first round starts at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, and the second round starts at the same time on Wednesday.

Where is the NBA draft?

The Barclays Center in New York will be the home of the 2026 NBA Draft.

How to watch the NBA draft

The first round of the NBA draft will air on ABC and ESPN, or through the ESPN app. Fans can also stream the first night of the draft with Fubo.

The second round of the NBA draft, taking place on Wednesday, June 24, will not air on ABC, but will air on ESPN, still at 8 p.m. ET.

What is the format for the NBA draft?

The NBA draft will take place over the course of two days. On Tuesday, June 23, the first round featuring the first 30 picks of the draft will be made. Each team will have 5 minutes to make their selections.

For the second round, teams will only be granted 4 minutes to make their picks.

Who are the likely top five picks in the NBA draft?

This year's draft class is chock full of potential stars and immediate-impact players, each of whom bring their own specific skill set. That is to say that outside of the very top of the draft, many experts aren't quite sure who will land where. There are four players who are considered to be the best of the best from this year's class:

• AJ Dybantsa (BYU)
• Darryn Peterson (Kansas)
• Cameron Boozer (Duke)
• Caleb Wilson (North Carolina)

Outside of those four, though, the rest is anyone's guess. Players like Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr., Illinois' Keaton Wagler, and Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr. are just the tip of the iceberg. There are more than a few players who could vie for that fifth overall pick.

2026 NBA Draft first round order

1. Washington Wizards
2. Utah Jazz
3. Memphis Grizzlies
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Los Angeles Clippers (via IND)
6. Brooklyn Nets
7. Sacramento Kings
8. Atlanta Hawks (via NO)
9. Dallas Mavericks
10. Milwaukee Bucks
11. Golden State Warriors
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via LAC)
13. Miami Heat
14. Charlotte Hornets
15. Chicago Bulls (via POR)
16. Memphis Grizzlies (from PHX via ORL)
17. Oklahoma City Thunder (via PHI)
18. Charlotte Hornets (from ORL via PHX)
19. Toronto Raptors
20. San Antonio Spurs (via ATL)
21. Detroit Pistons (via MIN)
22. Philadelphia 76ers (from HOU via OKC)
23. Atlanta Hawks (via CLE)
24. New York Knicks
25. Los Angeles Lakers
26. Denver Nuggets
27. Boston Celtics
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via DET)
29. Cleveland Cavaliers (from SA via ATL)
30. Dallas Mavericks (from OKC via WSH, PHI)