Washington secured the top pick in a high-stakes lottery that devastated the Pacers, while the Clippers and Pelicans avoided disaster ahead of June’s selection process.
The NBA Draft Lottery is now in the books with the Washington Wizards securing the top spot in the upcoming draft. The NBA Draft is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23 and Wednesday June 24, just weeks away.
You can read more about the Wizards' fortune with this reaction from Wizards Roundtable writer Ahmed Ghafir:
Looking ahead to the selection process, four players top the prospect list in BYU star AJ Dybantsa, guard Darryn Peterson of Kansas, Duke forward Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson, the forward from North Carolina.
The Wizards will get their pick of the prospect litter, but the draft's first round will be primed to bring in top-end talent beyond them. Here is a look at the upcoming draft's full first-round order.
2026 NBA Draft Order
- Washington Wizards
- Utah Jazz
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Chicago Bulls
- Los Angeles Clippers (via Indiana Pacers)
- Brooklyn Nets
- Sacramento Kings
- Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans Pelicans)
- Dallas Mavericks
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Golden State Warriors
- Oklahoma City Thunder (via Los Angeles Clippers)
- Miami Heat
- Charlotte Hornets
- Chicago Bulls (via Portland Trail Blazers)
- Memphis Grizzlies (via Phoenix Suns)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (via Philadelphia 76ers)
- Charlotte Hornets (via Orlando Magic)
- Toronto Raptors
- San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta Hawks)
- Detroit Pistons (via Minnesota Timberwolves)
- Philadelphia 76ers (Houston Rockets)
- Atlanta Hawks (Cleveland Cavaliers)
- New York Knicks
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Denver Nuggets
- Boston Celtics
- Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit Pistons)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (via San Antonio Spurs)
- Dallas Mavericks (via Oklahoma City Thunder)
Lottery Losers
One of the biggest losers of the NBA Draft Lottery was the Indiana Pacers. Had their selection wound up inside of the top four selection, their protected pick that traded to the Clippers would have remained in their possession. Instead, they ended up giving up the selection in the worst possible position: No. 5 overall.
Along with them, the Nets are widely considered losers as well. Their shuffling of stars like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving ends up netting them very little in the long-run despite a 20-62 season in 2025-26.
Lottery Winners
Winners include teams like the Wizards and Jazz. Thier loss totals put them in prime position to end up atop the draft. Since the NBA flattened the odds for the lottery, the Wizards are the first team to finish with the worst record and first overall selection. Their first since selecting five-time All-Star guard John Wall.
The Pelicans' front office was able to breathe a sigh of relief. After trading this year's selection last year in order to move up for forward Derik Queen, there was a concern that the New Orleans pick would convey as a top-four selection. Mercifully for the Pelicans, their selection fell to No. 8 before heading to the Hawks.
The Clippers get the win that corresponds with the Pacers' loss. Los Angeles ends up with the best possible selection it could have gotten without the pick going back to Indiana. Should one team inside the top-four surprise with their selection, the Clippers could be in line for one of the draft's best prospects. If nothing else, they'll be in position to take the best of the rest.