The Washington Wizards emerged as the biggest winners of the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, held Sunday in Chicago, securing the first overall pick for the upcoming draft on June 23 in Brooklyn.
This marks a pivotal moment for a franchise that finished the season with the league’s worst record (17-65) and hasn’t held the top selection since 2010, when they chose John Wall. Sixteen years later, Washington regains the most coveted pick, offering a chance to accelerate a drawn-out rebuilding process.
The prize comes in a draft class featuring several top-tier prospects. AJ Dybantsa, a forward from BYU, stands as one of the leading candidates, alongside Darryn Peterson (Kansas), Caleb Wilson (North Carolina), and Cameron Boozer (Duke), son of former NBA player Carlos Boozer.
For the Wizards, the No. 1 pick isn’t just about talent acquisition—it’s an opportunity to find both a sporting and commercial cornerstone to rebuild their project around.
Here’s how the first 14 positions of the upcoming draft stand.
**Indiana Suffers Setback**
Indiana was the other major storyline of the night, but for opposite reasons. The Pacers entered with a 14 percent chance—the same odds as Washington and Brooklyn—but the lottery denied them the grand prize.
Moreover, their selection fell to No. 5, which was then transferred to the Los Angeles Clippers due to a previous trade. After a season marked by losses and Tyrese Haliburton’s absence, Indiana lost a direct path to adding a young star to its roster.
The lottery opened a key week for draft hopefuls, with the NBA Combine in Chicago serving as a showcase for measurements, interviews, and physical tests in front of scouts and executives. Eligible Spanish players include Aday Mara, Sergio de Larrea, and Baba Miller.
