The excitement of the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery is set to unfold this Sunday in Chicago, marking the end of one of the most intense “tank races” in the league’s history. Unlike last year, when Cooper Flagg was the undisputed top choice, there is no clear frontrunner for the number one pick this time around. However, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa is emerging as the favorite, leading the projections as the weekend approaches.
This year’s lottery will determine the first 14 selections of the 2026 NBA Draft, including the coveted number one spot. The event will take place in a private setting in Chicago, but the results will be broadcast live on ABC at 3 p.m. ET. The Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, and Brooklyn Nets all share the highest odds of 14% to secure the top pick.
The Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz, who ended the season with identical records, have an 11.5% chance of winning the first pick, adding to the suspense of this year’s lottery.
As the NBA Draft Lottery approaches, fans and analysts alike are evaluating which teams are most deserving of landing that prized number one pick.
According to the NBA’s process, the lottery will decide the order of the first four picks. The remaining lottery teams will choose in reverse order of their season records. A total of 1,001 possible combinations exist in the lottery, with all but one of these combinations allocated to the participating teams beforehand.
Per the NBA, the lottery drawings are conducted for the first four picks. The other lottery teams (outside of the top four) will pick in inverse order of their regular-season records. The lottery itself has 1,001 possible combinations. All but one of those combinations are divvied out to lottery teams in advance.
After that, the ping-pong balls are then put through the lottery. The numbers on the balls will spit out a combination to determine the order. The process will repeat for the second, third and fourth picks in the draft.
Where to watch the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery
Date: Sunday, May 10 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV channel: ABC | Live stream: Fubo (try for free)
What are the odds for the draft lottery?
The Wizards finished with the NBA’s worst record in 2025-26, thus earning a 14% chance to win the lottery. Indiana had the second-worst record and has a 14% chance as well. The full odds board for each team to win the No. 1 pick and the chances each pick lands in the top four are below.
| PICK | TEAM | 2025-26 RECORD | WIN% | TOP 4 | #1 OVERALL |
| 1 | Washington | 17-65 | 0.207 | 52.1% | 14% |
| 2 | Indiana-x | 19-63 | 0.232 | 52.1% | 14% |
| 3 | Brooklyn | 20-62 | 0.244 | 52.1% | 14% |
| 4 | Utah | 22-60 | 0.268 | 45.2% | 11.5% |
| 5 | Sacramento | 22-60 | 0.268 | 45.2% | 11.5% |
| 6 | Memphis | 25-57 | 0.305 | 37.0% | 9% |
| 7 | Atlanta (via NOP) | 26-56 | 0.317 | 29.3% | 6.8% |
| 8 | Dallas | 26-56 | 0.317 | 29% | 6.7% |
| 9 | Chicago | 31-51 | 0.378 | 20.3% | 4.5% |
| 10 | Milwaukee-x | 32-50 | 0.39 | 13.9% | 3% |
| 11 | Golden State | 37-45 | 0.451 | 9.4% | 2% |
| 12 | Oklahoma City (via LAC) | 42-40 | 0.512 | 7.1% | 1.5% |
| 13 | Miami | 43-39 | 0.524 | 4.8% | 1% |
| 14 | Charlotte | 44-38 | 0.537 | 2.4% | 0.5% |
x – Pick may be conveyed to another team
- If Indiana’s pick lands outside of the top-4 selections, the Los Angeles Clippers will receive the pick. If Indiana falls out of the top 4, its pick would be No. 5 or No. 6.
- The Bucks are the only team here unable to receive the No. 1 pick. The Hawks have swap rights with the Bucks, meaning that if the Bucks draw the first overall pick, it can be swapped. Milwaukee would then receive the Pelicans’ first-round pick, via the Hawks. The Spurs own the Hawks’ first-round pick, which is slotted at pick No. 20.
Which players will be picked in the lottery?
These will change before the NBA Draft, but here are the current top NBA Draft prospects on Adam Finkelstein’s NBA Draft Big Board, with the full board available here.
| RANK | PLAYER | SCHOOL | YEAR | POSITION |
| 1 | AJ Dybantsa | BYU | Fr | SF |
| 2 | Darryn Peterson | Kansas | Fr | PG |
| 3 | Cameron Boozer | Duke | Fr | PF |
| 4 | Caleb Wilson | North Carolina | Fr | PF |
| 5 | Darius Acuff Jr. | Arkansas | Fr | PG |
| 6 | Kingston Flemings | Houston | Fr | PG |
| 7 | Keaton Wagler | Illinois | Fr | PG |
| 8 | Mikel Brown Jr. | Louisville | Fr | PG |
| 9 | Nate Ament | Tennessee | Fr | PF |
| 10 | Brayden Burries | Arizona | Fr | SG |
| 11 | Koa Peat | Arizona | Fr | PF |
| 12 | Yaxel Lendeborg | Michigan | Sr | PF |
| 13 | Jayden Quaintance | Kentucky | Soph | C |
| 14 | Aday Mara | Michigan | Jr | C |
