When and where is the 2026 NBA Draft? Format, schedule and how it works
The 2026 NBA Draft returns to Brooklyn! Here’s the full schedule, format, and how teams land the next generation of stars.
With the New York Knicks being crowned champions on Saturday, the focus now turns to the 2026 NBA Draft. The draft is when franchises reshape their futures and the next wave of stars officially enters the NBA.
Here’s everything you need to know about when it’s happening, where it’s being held, and how the entire process works.
When and where is the 2026 NBA Draft?
The 2026 NBA Draft will take place over two nights:
- First Round: Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 9 p.m. ET
- Second Round: Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 9 p.m. ET
Both rounds will be held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, the longtime home of the event. The first round will air on ABC and ESPN, while the second round will be broadcast on ESPN.
How the NBA Draft is formatted
The NBA Draft follows a relatively simple structure compared to other major U.S. sports leagues. There are two rounds total and 60 picks overall (30 teams, 2 rounds). Each team is assigned one pick per round, though trades often mean teams may have more, or fewer, selections.
The draft is now a two-night event, with the first round getting its own standalone spotlight before the second round continues the following day. In the first round, teams will have five minutes to make their selections, and in the second, they’ll have four.
How teams get their picks
The order of selection is determined in two main ways:
1. NBA Draft Lottery (Picks 1–14)
The first 14 picks are decided by the NBA Draft Lottery, which includes teams that missed the playoffs. The lottery was held on May 10, 2026. It determines the exact order of the top picks, including the No. 1 overall selection For 2026, the Washington Wizards won the No. 1 pick.
2. Regular-season record (Picks 15–60)
After the lottery, the remaining picks are ordered by reverse regular-season record. Non-playoff teams fill out the rest of the first round, and playoff teams pick last, based on how far they advanced.
2026 NBA Draft Order (Full 2 Rounds)
Round 1
- Washington Wizards
- Utah Jazz
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Chicago Bulls
- LA Clippers (from Indiana Pacers)
- Brooklyn Nets
- Sacramento Kings
- Atlanta Hawks (from New Orleans Pelicans)
- Dallas Mavericks
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Golden State Warriors
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from LA Clippers)
- Miami Heat
- Charlotte Hornets
- Chicago Bulls (from Portland Trail Blazers)
- Memphis Grizzlies (from Phoenix Suns via Orlando Magic)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Philadelphia 76ers)
- Charlotte Hornets (from Orlando Magic via Phoenix Suns)
- Toronto Raptors
- San Antonio Spurs (from Atlanta Hawks)
- Detroit Pistons (from Minnesota Timberwolves)
- Philadelphia 76ers (from Houston Rockets via Oklahoma City Thunder)
- Atlanta Hawks (from Cleveland Cavaliers)
- New York Knicks
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Denver Nuggets
- Boston Celtics
- Minnesota Timberwolves (from Detroit Pistons)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (from San Antonio Spurs via Atlanta Hawks)
- Dallas Mavericks (from Oklahoma City Thunder via Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers)
Round 2
31.) New York Knicks (from Washington Wizards via OKC & Houston)
32.) Memphis Grizzlies (from Indiana Pacers via Milwaukee Bucks)
33.) Brooklyn Nets
34.) Sacramento Kings
35.) San Antonio Spurs (from Utah Jazz via Minnesota Timberwolves)
36.) LA Clippers (from Memphis Grizzlies via Utah Jazz & Atlanta Hawks)
37.) Oklahoma City Thunder (from Dallas Mavericks)
38.) Chicago Bulls (from New Orleans Pelicans via multiple teams)
39.) Houston Rockets (from Chicago Bulls via Washington Wizards)
40.) Boston Celtics (from Milwaukee Bucks via Orlando Magic)
41.) Miami Heat (from Golden State Warriors via Charlotte/New York/OKC/Atlanta)
42.) San Antonio Spurs (from Portland Trail Blazers via New Orleans Pelicans)
43.) Brooklyn Nets (from LA Clippers via Houston Rockets)
44.) San Antonio Spurs (from Miami Heat via Indiana Pacers)
45.) Sacramento Kings (from Charlotte Hornets via multi-team trade chain)
46.) Orlando Magic
47.) Phoenix Suns (from Philadelphia 76ers via Houston & OKC)
48.) Dallas Mavericks (from Phoenix Suns via Washington Wizards)
49.) Denver Nuggets (from Atlanta Hawks via Brooklyn & Golden State)
50.) Toronto Raptors
51.) Washington Wizards (from Minnesota Timberwolves via Detroit & New York)
52.) LA Clippers (from Cleveland Cavaliers)
53.) Houston Rockets
54.) Golden State Warriors (from LA Lakers via multiple trades)
55.) New York Knicks
56.) Chicago Bulls (from Denver Nuggets via multiple teams)
57.) Atlanta Hawks (from Boston Celtics)
58.) New Orleans Pelicans (from Detroit Pistons via multiple trades)
59.) Minnesota Timberwolves (from San Antonio Spurs via Indiana Pacers)
60.) Washington Wizards (from Oklahoma City Thunder via San Antonio & Miami)
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