Washington Wizards win 2026 NBA Draft Lottery and secure No. 1 pick

The Washington Wizards won the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery and secured the No. 1 overall pick after finishing with the NBA’s worst record this season.

The Washington Wizards secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft after winning Sunday night’s NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago, marking a major turning point for a franchise deep in rebuilding mode, according to the Associated Press.

Washington entered the lottery tied for the best odds at 14% after finishing the 2025-26 season with the league’s worst record at 17-65. The franchise has endured three consecutive losing seasons, including the worst stretch in team history, but now holds the top selection in one of the most highly anticipated draft classes in recent years.

The winning lottery combination was 4-2-1, officially giving the Wizards their first No. 1 pick since selecting John Wall in 2010. Wall attended the lottery as the team’s on-stage representative alongside Monumental Basketball president Michael Winger, head coach Brian Keefe and other team executives.

“It’s our fans that have endured the most,” Winger said after the results were revealed. “This No. 1 pick is for them.”

The draft will take place on June 23 in New York, with several standout college stars expected to be considered for the top selection. Among the leading candidates are BYU guard AJ Dybantsa, Duke forward Cameron Boozer, Kansas standout Darryn Peterson and North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson.

Dybantsa led Division I basketball in scoring with 25.5 points per game, while Boozer, the Associated Press National Player of the Year, averaged 22.5 points and 10.1 rebounds during his freshman season at Duke.

The Wizards have already reshaped their roster over the past year, adding established NBA stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis through major trades. The No. 1 pick now gives the organization another cornerstone piece as it looks to return to playoff contention.

“We’re looking forward to going through the process and finding who we’re going to take with that pick,” Keefe said.

Utah earned the No. 2 overall pick, followed by Memphis at No. 3 and Chicago at No. 4. The Los Angeles Clippers received the fifth selection through a previously completed trade with Indiana.

The 2026 lottery may also mark the final year of the NBA’s current draft lottery format. League governors are expected to vote soon on revised odds designed to further discourage tanking beginning next season.