The Wizards, who had the worst record in the league during the 2025/26 season, have won the 2026 NBA draft lottery. Washington entered the lottery tied for the best possible odds (14%) to land the No. 1 overall pick.
The full lottery order for the 2026 NBA draft is as follows:
- Washington Wizards
- Utah Jazz
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Chicago Bulls
- Los Angeles Clippers (from Pacers)
- Brooklyn Nets
- Sacramento Kings
- Atlanta Hawks (from Pelicans)
- Dallas Mavericks
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Golden State Warriors
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Clippers)
- Miami Heat
- Charlotte Hornets
The Wizards have won 15, 18, and 17 games in the last three seasons, but didn’t have a clear-cut franchise player to show for it yet. They drafted Alex Sarr second overall in 2024 and slipped to sixth in 2025, opting to select Tre Johnson at that spot. This year, the ping pong balls landed in their favor and have put them in position to draft a long-term centerpiece.
While BYU forward AJ Dybantsa is the favorite to be the top pick, the Wizards figure to seriously consider prospects like Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer, and UNC forward Caleb Wilson before making their selection on June 23.
The lottery results were also great news for the Jazz, who entered the day fourth in the pre-lottery order and moved up to No. 2. Like the Wizards, Utah has been rebuilding for multiple years and had been preparing to take a step forward in 2026/27 even before the lottery outcome was known. While Washington traded for Trae Young and Anthony Davis ahead of this year’s trade deadline, Utah acquired former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. in February.
Now, the Jazz are set to land a potential future All-Star to a roster that already features Jackson, Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, 2025 lottery pick Ace Bailey, and restricted free agent center Walker Kessler.
Notably, both the Wizards and Jazz had technically traded away their 2026 first-rounders, but both picks included top-eight protection, meaning they remained in Washington and Utah, respectively.
The same can’t be said for the Pacers, who traded their 2026 first-round pick with top-four protection to the Clippers in February’s Ivica Zubac blockbuster. After posting the second-worst record in the league this season, Indiana entered the day with a 52.1% chance of retaining that pick. Instead, L.A. won what was essentially a coin flip, with the pick slipping just outside of the top four. It’s a best-case scenario for the Clippers, who get the No. 5 overall selection and will add a young building block from a strong draft class to their core.
[RELATED: Pacers Hopeful Of Retaining Pick But Won’t Regret Zubac Deal]
Assuming neither the Jazz nor the Wizards do anything too surprising with the top two picks, the Grizzlies and Bulls, the day’s other two big winners, should have their choice of the remaining two prospects from a consensus top four of Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, and Wilson.
Memphis, sixth in the pre-lottery order, had a 27.6% chance of moving into the top three, while Chicago made the biggest move up, from No. 9 to No. 4. The Bulls had just a 20.2% shot at a top-four pick entering the lottery.
The next tier of prospects in the 2026 class is made up of a handful of guards, including Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff, and Houston’s Kingston Flemings. Louisville guard Mikel Brown, Tennessee forward Nate Ament, Arizona guard Brayden Burries, Michigan big man Yaxel Lendeborg, and Mexican forward Karim Lopez are among the other players in the mix for teams with top-10 picks.
That group of teams in the top 10 is rounded out by the Nets, Kings, Hawks, Mavericks, and Bucks. Besides Milwaukee, each of those teams fell one or more spots as a result of the lottery outcome. That’s especially disappointing for Brooklyn and Sacramento, two retooling teams whose rosters lack star power.
Atlanta was likely also hoping for a better result, having controlled the more favorable of the Pelicans’ and Bucks’ first-rounders entering the lottery. While the Hawks had a 40.2% chance at a top-four pick, they instead moved down a spot from No. 7 to No. 8, as New Orleans was leapfrogged by Chicago while Milwaukee’s pick remained at No. 10.
That pick was the one the Hawks acquired from the Pelicans at last year’s draft — we now know that the terms of that trade turned out to be Derik Queen for Asa Newell and this year’s eighth overall pick.
After teams eliminated in the play-in tournament won each of the past two draft lotteries – Atlanta in 2024 and Dallas in 2025 – there was no movement among this year’s play-in clubs, with the Warriors remaining at No. 11 and the Heat and Hornets staying at No. 13 and No. 14, respectively. Additionally, the Clippers’ own first-rounder, which was controlled by the Thunder, remained at No. 12 — it’s safe to assume the rest of the NBA breathed a sigh of relief when that envelope was opened and OKC’s logo was revealed.
Although the NBA doesn’t air the actual lottery drawing process during its half-hour broadcast announcing the results, the league has put out a behind-the-scenes video that shows the draw taking place. It can be viewed right here (via Twitter).
LFGGGGG!!!! Mike we gotta celebrate!!!!!
Huge move up!!!!!! Wilson or Wagler, Acuff. Be a tough choice for me. But take the big man I guess. Definitely a need.
I don’t want Wilson. I hope Utah takes him and boozer at 3 we get Pete at 4.
Now I have to hope Ament lasts until 15.
We’re rumored to trade 15 for Maluach. We need to get Wagler at 4. Shooting, size and high IQ.
You gotta for Acuff at 4 if dont go with Wilson, you dont want to reminisce the DRose days?? And he is a pretty good shooter himself
Raz-Whatever happens the Bulls just got way better. So you finally came around to my way of thinking? I converted you on Wagler. LOL Wagler does make Giddey a trade piece either now or later. I say let them play together for a year and see what happens. Wagler’s shooting ability makes him an instant weapon and his length makes him a guy who can guard 3 positions. But what do I know. LOL
I definitely saw Wagler more after you mentioned it lol. We did get better. I would consider all options for Giddey as well. I’m pumped!
Maluach? I’d rather just take Mara if he’s there. Malauch is better than what we have which is nothing. But I think they can do better without losing the pick.
Why not him? He barely played last year. Did something change on him to view your perception about him?
No, Malauch is fine. But I had a dream where the Bulls ended up with Kessler, Wagler and Ament after this draft. Then I woke up. Now it could actually happen. Or Hatenstine and that’s as far as I got. Now it’s actually a possibility.
Ain’t no way in hell DP is there at 4
See Mike a little faith goes a long way. Now you can take Wagler lol. I would. Congrats lol
Can you imagine if AKME still had this pick? I just got the chills! I’ve said it before that the new guys couldn’t be any worse and been wrong but I hope not this time. Seems they’re in a better place.
Congrats to you raz !! Bulls scored big-time.
Still need to get the pick right. Job not done.
Must be tough to be in Indianapolis today. Went from top 4 to None of the above. I feel bad. Ha Hah hah hah just kidding.
I would not be surprised if silver rigged the lottery so the pacers lose that pick just because of them tanking
Silver told Kawhi he’d rig it if Kawhi planted 1,000 trees the week before the lottery
Silver wanted Clips to have a good pick so he can take it away from them.
I dont think they were tanking, I think they were just terrible
The Jazz was tanking though for sure
At least the #1 pick can get to see Davis up close in Street Clothes…
Interesting that last year and this year’s no1 pick will (most likely) be on the same team as Anthony Davis
Who knew that the secret to getting the number 1 pick was AD on the bench.
Or trading him to the Lakers (Pelicans)
Pacers not only didn’t win, they lost their pick…
But their gm said it didnt matter, so its all good!! All worth it for Zubac
I think they will regret the trade.
Go Pacers! Nice GM you got there.
That lottery show was a masterpiece of…mostly just people sitting behind desks with blank expressions, apparently
Interesting… so league pressures crappy teams to make moves. Wizards trade for Trae and AD, Utah trades for JJJ and they happen to get the 1 and 2 pick. Interesting… poor sac they deserve a top 4
AJ definitely going #1
Giving Al credit in saying Clippers get the 5th pick. Nice prediction there. See I’m not a hater lol or a troll.
So now ALL the Chicago clan. The most negative fans on here. All they do is come here and cry and complain. Now what.
The only more miserable fan is in Sacramento. We will need a wellness chk on him today
They’re actually picking in a good spot because Patterson to me looks like he’s either going to be 20 + score or a bust. I don’t see all NBA player all over him. Not really sure. Boozer is as good as everybody claims either. So Utah’s getting an interesting spot. Aj will be straight. Give Chicago a chance to pick between three players that are left over, which is sometimes a better position. Utah was in that position last year when they take Bailey where the top team sometimes overthink, especially when you’re drafting all 19-year-olds
I will laugh at some of your haters if warriors pick lendberg with the 11th pick. That looks like a no brainer for the warriors if he is still there at #11.
Yeah he should be there at 11. I see tank has you guys taking Philbon though.
SBNation has Lendeborg going 10th and the Dubs taking a C in Mara. Just sayin
There are way off on that the warriors do not need another under sized PG. Karim Lopez is the other guy that is high on the warriors list.
I’m not here for credit. And we all know who you are. Your own words are posted all over here. You got my two chances. Keep me MUTED
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And we all know who you are as well. Dude I don’t have you muted wtf you keep saying? Lmao I see ALL your posts. 56K dialup is hard these days I guess.
AHAHAHAHAHAHA THE PACERS LOST THEIR PICK
Good thing their gm said it didnt matter at all!! Happy for the clippers, this is probably a franchise altering win
RIGGED LAST YEAR
RIGGED THIS YEAR
How?
Warriors are 100% trading that #11 pick as part of their package for Giannis.
Yes, yes, yes!!! I’m at the Camp Nou watching Barca beating Madrid 2-0. It’s halftime, and I go to my phone to check the news.
I can’t believe it. I was thinking #5, like Detroit a couple of years in a row.
But it’s #1!. Please don’t mess it up. Pick a good player.
Tough blow for the Pacers. Happy for the Bulls but hope they don’t overthink it.
Chicago Bulls starting 5- PG- j. Giddey SG- B. Mathurian SF- Buzelis PF- C. Wilson C- J. Quintance……… Let’s go Bulls. I feel good about all of this. New front office. Great young core. Only question mark is head coach. If we do not get this correct it will screw everything up.