Hype for the 2026 NBA Draft is officially underway with the draft lottery odds and order set.
Professional playoff action is underway on the hardwood but several others will have to make do with smaller balls, namely those at the NBA Draft Lottery.
Following tiebreaker draws held on Monday, the odds for the upcoming selection gambits are set, as is the immediate order following the non-playoff teams. The draft lottery to determine the full order of a draft headlined by Cameron Boozer (Duke), AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Darryn Peterson (Kansas), and more will be held on May 10, while the selections will be announced by commissioner Adam Silver at Barclays Center.
BIL breaks down each eliminated team’s odds and ends below …
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
1. Washington Wizards
Record: 17-65
No. 1 Odds: 14%
Last No. 1 Pick: 2010 (John Wall)
Washington has been in the top two in lottery odds in each of the last three seasons. They haven’t moved up on lottery night since 2013 (moving from eighth to third when they got Otto Porter Jr.) and dropped four spots last year, which led them to No. 6 choice Tre Johnson. This is the first time that the Wizards have ever held the top odds.
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
2. Indiana Pacers
Record: 19-63
No. 1 Odds: 14%
Last No. 1 Pick: Never
The light at the end of the Pacers’ dire Tyrese Haliburton-less tunnel is a spot atop the draft board, but they’ll be sweating it out: thanks to the trade that acquired Ivica Zubac, the choice could transfer to the Los Angeles Clippers if it lands between the fifth and ninth choices. Indiana has not moved up in a lottery since 1988, when it selected franchise cornerstone Rik Smits in the second slot after coming in at No. 7.
3. Brooklyn Nets
Record: 20-62
No. 1 Odds: 14%
Last No. 1 Pick: 2000 (Kenyon Martin, as New Jersey Nets)
Lottery luck changed the fortunes of one Brooklyn team and, while there may not be a Sabrina Ionescu in this draft, Atlantic Avenue is holding out hope. The Nets continue to toil through the aftermath of their failed Big Three experiment and have had spotty luck at the last two lotteries: their pick became a third overall choice in 2024 (which they lost to Houston in the deal for James Harden) but they lost two spots when they had control back last year, picking Egor Demin as consolation for missing out on Jeremiah Fears.
Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images
4. Utah Jazz
Record: 22-60
No. 1 Odds: 11.5%
Last No. 1 Pick: Never
The Jazz have sung the blues on each of the last two lottery nights: Utah is one of six franchises that has yet to open the NBA Draft and that streak continued last season despite the Jazz holding the top odds (moving 1st to 5th before taking Ace Bailey). That came a year after Utah fell two spots to 10th, which yielded Colorado freshman Cody Williams.
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5. Sacramento Kings
Record: 22-60
No. 1 Odds: 11.5%
Last No. 1 Pick: 1989 (Pervis Ellison)
The Kings continue to wonder where it all went wrong and they’ll hope that a return to the top five in lottery odds will serve as the start of a royal resurgence in California’s capital. Sacramento was in the top five on four consecutive occasions between 2009 and 2012 but lost ground on the draft board on all but one such occasion. They’ve moved up multiple lottery spots in three of their past seven lottery visits but, alas, lost their 2017 selection that eventually became No. 3 pick Jayson Tatum after Sacramento originally sent that selection to Philadelphia, who subsequently traded it to Boston (an infamous swap that also featured top choice Markelle Fultz).
Ja Morant Grizzlies Getty Images
6. Memphis Grizzlies
Record: 25-57
No. 1 Odds: 9%
Last No. 1 Pick: Never
Despite holding the top odds four times (three times as the Vancouver Grizzlies), Memphis has never stood at the top of the draft board. Moving up would perhaps be a poetic end to an era: Memphis’ most miraculous leap came in 2019, when it moved from eighth to second to obtain franchise face Ja Morant. With Morant’s future in question, the Grizzlies hope a similar jump is on the horizon.
7. Atlanta Hawks OR Milwaukee Bucks (from New Orleans)
Record: 26-56 (New Orleans)
No. 1 Odds: 6.8%
Last No. 1 Pick: 2024 (Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta)/2005 (Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee)
The one thing certain here is that the seventh pick isn’t going to New Orleans despite them “earning” it: the choice is instead on its way to either Atlanta or Milwaukee by virtue of last year’s draft night deal that allowed the Pelicans to select Derik Queen. Thanks to another deal, Atlanta is set to choose seventh, though it’ll get Milwaukee’s selection if it moves past theirs. There was bad luck on the bayou last year as is: the Pelicans fell from fourth to seventh (forcing them to miss out on Kon Knueppel) though they did pick up a potential cornerstone in Fears.
Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images
8. Dallas Mavericks
Record: 26-56
No. 1 Odds: 6.7%
Last No. 1 Pick: 2025 (Cooper Flagg)
A sign that the Mavericks’ lottery luck has probably run out surfaced on Monday, when they lost out on a tiebreaker draw to the Pelicans’ departing pick. The 10-spot jump to capture the Flagg marked the first time the Mavs moved up in 18 visits to the lottery.
9. Chicago Bulls
Record: 31-51
No. 1 Odds: 4.5%
Last No. 1 Pick: 2008 (Derrick Rose)
The Bulls failed to yield an extra first round choice in their flurry of trade deadline activity (though the Portland Trail Blazers’ postseason clinch gave them a first from a 2021 deal) but they place ninth this year for their best odds since 2021. That was one year after they moved up three spots to fourth at the start of the decade, which saw them select Patrick Williams.
Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
10. Milwaukee Bucks OR Atlanta Hawks
Record: 32-50 (Milwaukee)
No. 1 Odds: 3%
Last No. 1 Pick: 2005 (Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee)
Before a summer of Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors undoubtedly ensue, the Bucks will await their draft fate that could well make its way to Atlanta. The swap, which sees Milwaukee get the least favorable choice between New Orleans’ lottery pick and their own, stems from the 2020 Jrue Holiday trade that involved pick swaps in 2024 and 2026. This will be Milwaukee’s first time in the lottery since 2016, which saw them stay in the 10th slot en route to picking Thon Maker.
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
11. Golden State Warriors
Record: 37-45
No. 1 Odds: 2%
Last No. 1 Pick: 1995 (Joe Smith)
Potential life after Steve Kerr … and maybe Stephen Curry? … is on deck for the Warriors, who have endured several misses in their attempt to build a farewell core for Curry (i.e. Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman). Golden State has not moved up in a lottery since its four-spot leap that allowed them to take Smith with 1995’s top overall choice.
Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from LA Clippers)
Record: 42-40
No. 1 Odds: 1.5%
Last No. 1 Pick: 2009 (Blake Griffin)
The defending champion Thunder continues to reap the benefits from the infamous Paul George trade, giving it a puncher’s chance at the top pick. The appeal behind this latest yield somewhat dulls thanks to the fact that the Clippers really haven’t had much luck at the lottery: they moved up seven picks to the top spot in 2011…months after it had been traded to the Kyrie Irving-hunting Cleveland Cavaliers.
Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images
13. Miami Heat
Record: 43-39
No. 1 Odds: 1%
Last No. 1 Pick: Never
Back in the lottery for the first time since 2019 (which brought in South Beach staple Tyler Herro at 13th), the Heat will look to break a cold streak. Miami has never moved up in the lottery, though it has at least stood pat in its last three trips.
Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images
14. Charlotte Hornets
Record: 44-38
No. 1 Odds: 0.5%
Last No. 1 Pick: 1991 (Larry Johnson)
A good amount of eyes will be on the Hornets’ draft fate after their strong end to the season: set to take part in their 10th consecutive lottery, the event has been a mixed bag for their buzz. They moved up five spots when LaMelo Ball arrived in 2020 and two more when Brandon Miller showed up three years later. They’ve lost slots in the last two tours, though it paid off last season as Knueppel fell into their grasp after they went to fifth.
Non-Lottery Draft Order (1st Round)
15. Chicago (from Portland)
16. Memphis (from Phoenix)
17. Oklahoma City (from Philadelphia)
18. Charlotte (from Orlando)
19. Toronto
20. San Antonio (from Atlanta)
21. Detroit (from Minnesota)
22. Philadelphia (from Houston)
23. Atlanta (from Cleveland)
24. New York
25. LA Lakers
26. Denver
27. Boston
28. Minnesota (from Detroit)
29. Cleveland (from San Antonio)
30. Dallas (from Oklahoma City)
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
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