The Washington Wizards won the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday, claiming the first overall pick and positioning themselves to add a third star alongside Trae Young and Anthony Davis.
The Wizards entered the lottery with a 14% chance of winning, tied with the Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets for the best odds among the league's worst teams. Washington was the only one of the three to convert that chance into the top spot. The Pacers and Nets ended up with the No. 5 and No. 6 picks respectively.
Indiana's result was particularly damaging. According to a report by The Sporting News, the Pacers actually lost their pick entirely because the No. 5 slot fell outside their pick protections, sending the selection to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the terms of the Ivica Zubac trade.
The Utah Jazz landed at No. 2 and the Memphis Grizzlies will pick third after Sunday's lottery concluded.
With the order now set, multiple analysts have turned their attention to who Washington is likely to select. BYU forward AJ Dybantsa has emerged as the clear consensus No. 1 prospect, and the idea that he will be the first name called on June 23 has grown increasingly popular across draft circles. The Wizards traded for both Trae Young and Anthony Davis at the deadline, and Dybantsa is seen as a natural fit to complete what could become a Big Three for next season.
After Dybantsa, the picture becomes somewhat less certain but still fairly settled near the top. Kansas guard Darryn Peterson and Duke forward Cameron Boozer are widely projected to round out the top three. From there, prospects Caleb Wilson, Keaton Wagler, and Darius Acuff are drawing attention after strong collegiate seasons, though analysts note a slight dropoff from the top tier.
Mock drafts from ESPN, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, and The Sporting News were all released in the days following the lottery, with each outlet's projections reflecting the newly confirmed order. ESPN's Jeremy Woo released his version on May 10, while Sam Vecenie of The Athletic and The Sporting News' Steph Noh both published theirs on May 11.
On the awards side, Victor Wembanyama was named Player of the Year, Kon Knueppel took Rookie of the Year honors, and Joe Mazzulla won Coach of the Year, according to The Sporting News NBA Awards.
The draft is scheduled for June 23.
