NBA Draft Lottery 2026: Chicago Event Set to Determine Top Four Picks

The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery will take place in Chicago on Sunday, 10 May, at 3 p.m. ET, marking the culmination of a high-profile tank race involving teams with the worst regular-season records. The proceedings will be broadcast live on ESPN and streamed via Fubo, providing real-time coverage of the drawing that determines the order for the first four picks of the 2026 NBA Draft.

Unlike previous years featuring a consensus top prospect, this draft is expected to lack a single undisputed number one talent, with BYU's AJ Dybantsa currently leading projections. There is no consensus top prospect like there was last year, when the winner of the lottery was widely expected to take Cooper Flagg, no matter what. However, Dybantsa has started to create separation and is the projected No. 1 pick heading into the weekend.

The lottery mechanism involves 1,001 possible combinations, with the ping-pong ball process repeated for the second, third, and fourth picks. Washington, Indiana, and Brooklyn each hold a 14 per cent probability of securing the No. 1 pick, while Sacramento and Utah are tied for the fourth-worst record in the league, each possessing an 11.5 per cent chance of winning the lottery.

Teams finishing outside the top four lottery positions will select in inverse order of their regular-season records. The provided odds are current as of the report but are subject to change prior to the actual drawing, reflecting the dynamic nature of the draft board as the event approaches.

The Indiana Fever are scheduled to open the 2026 WNBA regular season on 9 May at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, featuring a matchup against a team with Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd. This upcoming broadcast schedule highlights a significant convergence for the league, with the WNBA opener occurring the day before the NBA lottery.