The 2026 NBA Draft lottery delivered a franchise-changing moment for the Washington Wizards, who officially landed the No. 1 overall pick in what many scouts and executives are calling one of the deepest draft classes in recent memory.
After entering the lottery tied for the best odds at 14%, Washington emerged victorious Monday night, vaulting to the top of the draft board and giving the rebuilding franchise a massive opportunity to reshape its future. The Utah Jazz secured the No. 2 selection, followed by the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 3 and the Chicago Bulls at No. 4.
One of the biggest developments outside the top four involved the Indiana Pacers, who lost their protected top-four pick to the Los Angeles Clippers. As a result, Los Angeles jumped into the lottery at No. 5, adding another valuable asset for a franchise looking to remain competitive in the Western Conference.
The lottery officially finalized the first-round order for all 30 teams, setting the stage for an important offseason across the league. While the 2026 NBA Playoffs continue, the 14 lottery teams — along with the eight franchises eliminated in the opening round — now turn their attention toward roster building and scouting.
The next major event on the NBA calendar arrives immediately, as all 30 teams will gather in Chicago for the annual NBA Draft Combine beginning Monday. The weeklong event gives executives, coaches and scouts an opportunity to evaluate top prospects through workouts, measurements, interviews and scrimmages.
Another key date looming is the NCAA withdrawal deadline on May 27 at 11:59 p.m. ET. College players testing the NBA waters have just days remaining to decide whether to stay in the draft or return to school.
The 2026 draft class has generated enormous buzz throughout the basketball world, with analysts praising its combination of elite star power, depth and long-term upside. That makes Washington’s lottery win even more significant as the franchise looks to accelerate its rebuild and return to playoff contention.
The Brooklyn Nets, who also entered the lottery with 14% odds at the top pick, fell to No. 6 overall despite sharing the best mathematical chance to land the first selection.
2026 NBA Draft Order — First Round
- Washington Wizards
- Utah Jazz
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Chicago Bulls
- Los Angeles Clippers (via Indiana)
- Brooklyn Nets
- Sacramento Kings
- Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans)
- Dallas Mavericks
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Golden State Warriors
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Miami Heat
- Charlotte Hornets
- Chicago Bulls (via Portland)
- Memphis Grizzlies (via Phoenix)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (via Philadelphia)
- Charlotte Hornets (via Orlando)
- Toronto Raptors
- San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta)
- Detroit Pistons (via Minnesota)
- Philadelphia 76ers (via Houston)
- Atlanta Hawks (via Cleveland)
- New York Knicks
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Denver Nuggets
- Boston Celtics
- Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (via San Antonio)
- Dallas Mavericks (via Oklahoma City)
