The 2026 NBA draft lottery is set for Sunday, May 10, minutes before Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Knicks and 76ers. The half-hour drawing airs live on ABC at 2:00 p.m. CT.
The Race for No. 1
Unlike 2025, when Cooper Flagg was the consensus top prize, this year’s class offers several legitimate contenders for the first overall pick. BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke big man Cameron Boozer, and North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson lead most draft boards.
Pre-Lottery Draft Order
If the ping-pong balls do not change the standings, the first 14 selections will belong to:
1. Washington Wizards
2. Indiana Pacers*
3. Brooklyn Nets
4. Utah Jazz
5. Sacramento Kings
6. Memphis Grizzlies
7. Atlanta Hawks (from Pelicans)**
8. Dallas Mavericks
9. Chicago Bulls
10. Milwaukee Bucks**
11. Golden State Warriors
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Clippers)***
13. Miami Heat
14. Charlotte Hornets
*The Clippers obtain the Pacers pick if it falls to No. 5 or No. 6 (47.9% chance).
**Atlanta receives the more favorable pick between the Pelicans and Bucks; Milwaukee takes the less favorable.
***The Clippers pick goes to Oklahoma City regardless of placement.
Lottery Odds
Washington, Indiana, and Brooklyn each hold a 14.0% chance of drawing the top pick. Utah and Sacramento sit at 11.5% apiece, followed by Atlanta (9.8%), Memphis (9.0%), and Dallas (6.7%).
Since the lottery format was revised in 2019, the probability of one of the three worst teams landing No. 1 has dropped from 60.5% to 42.0%, while clubs in positions 5-14 now combine for a 45.5% shot. Recent results illustrate the volatility: the Hawks jumped from 10th to first in 2024, and the Mavericks leaped from 11th to first in 2025.
Key Trades in Play
Pacers/Clippers: Indiana keeps its first-rounder only if it lands in the top four (52.1% likelihood); otherwise it transfers to Los Angeles. Should Indiana retain the pick, the Clippers instead receive the Pacers’ unprotected 2031 first.
Hawks/Bucks/Pelicans: Atlanta will possess the more favorable of the Pelicans and Bucks picks, giving the Hawks a 40.2% chance of selecting in the top four and a 90.1% chance of drafting in the top eight. Milwaukee’s lottery odds top out at 3.0% for a top-four pick and 86.9% to fall to No. 10 or lower.
Clippers/Thunder: Oklahoma City owns the Clippers pick outright. That selection carries a 7.1% chance to jump into the top four and a 1.5% chance to become No. 1.
Team Representatives
The NBA released the list of officials who will appear on stage and in the sealed drawing room:
Wizards: John Wall (stage), Michael Winger (drawing room)
Pacers: T.J. McConnell, Ted Wu
Nets: Vince Carter, Joe Tsai
Jazz: Keyonte George, Austin Ainge
Kings: Scott Perry, John Kehriotis
Grizzlies: Tayshaun Prince, Zach Kleiman
Hawks: Onsi Saleh, Daniel Starkman
Mavericks: Rolando Blackman, Matt Riccardi
Bulls: Toni Kukoc, Chigozie Umeadi
Bucks: Mallory Edens, Dave Dean
Warriors: Larry Harris, Raymond Ridder
Thunder: Nick Collison, Sam Presti
Heat: Alonzo Mourning, Adam Simon
Hornets: Kon Knueppel, Jake Stone
The Clippers will not have an on-stage representative because their pick is already owed to the Thunder; executive Rishabh Desai will observe in the drawing room.
The drawing concludes when the 14 lottery combinations have been revealed, finalizing the order for the June draft.
Source: Hoops Rumors
