How does the NBA Draft lottery work? The format explained

The draft lottery is scheduled for May 16, starting at 8 p.m. ET, determining the order in which the 14 non-playoff franchises will select their draft picks for the upcoming event scheduled on June 22 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Here’s how the system works: 14 ping-pong balls are placed in a drum and numbered from 1 to 14, resulting in 1,001 potential combinations. Based on their position in the league, each team is assigned a specific set of numbers from those 1,001 combinations.

For example, the Detroit Pistons have 140 possible combinations out of 1,001 to secure the unenviable title of being the worst team in the NBA. This equates to a 14% probability of obtaining the number 1 pick.

In this draw, 14 balls are introduced, and four are randomly selected to determine the winner of numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4. The remaining picks are determined based on the teams’ records of victories in the regular league, their positions after tiebreakers if necessary, and any changes made through transfers.

Options to get number one

1. Detroit Pistons (17-65) - 14% of options to take the number 1.

2. San Antonio Spurs (22-60) - 14%.

3. Houston Rockets (22-60) - 14%.

4. Charlotte Hornets (27-55) - 12,5%.

5. Portland Trail Blazers (33-49) - 10,5%.

6. Orlando Magic (34-48) - 9%.

7. Indiana Pacers (35-47) - 6,8%.

8. Washington Wizards (35-47) - 6,7%.

9. Utah Jazz (37-45) - 4,5%.

10. Dallas Mavericks (38-44) - 3%.

11. Chicago Bulls (40-42) - 1,8%.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (40-42) - 1,7%.

13. Toronto Raptors (41-41) - 1%.

14. New Orleans Pelicans (42-40) - 0,5%.