NBA Draft 2026: A New Generation of Basketball Talent
The 2026 NBA Draft provides a platform for young talent to enter the National Basketball Association (NBA). The New York Knicks recently emerged as champions, concluding the NBA 2025-26 season. Fans are celebrating as the New York Knicks were crowned winners of the past season. In addition, supporters are eagerly following the NBA draft to see the next generation of talent enter the league.
The upcoming highly anticipated 2026 NBA Draft will begin on June 23, 2026, at Barclays Center in New York. This edition will mark the 80th anniversary of the National Basketball Association’s annual draft. The first round of the draft will be held on June 23, with 30 players selected by NBA teams. The second round, known as the final stage of the draft, will be held on June 24. This year, the NBA Draft delivered numerous college basketball players expected to start their NBA careers. Each NBA team will be ready to evaluate prospects during the draft selection process at the arena.
The NBA Draft 2026 will be streamed on ABC and ESPN in the US. This platform gives a view of the first and second rounds of the NBA Draft selection process.
In the UK, the NBA Draft 2026 will air on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Arena. Additionally, this event will be broadcast digitally on the Now network.
Disney+ Hotstar exclusively broadcasts the NBA in India. This platform will provide a two-round 2026 NBA draft event.
The 2026 NBA Draft will stream on Kayo Sports and Foxtel channels for the basketball players’ auction. Fans can watch both rounds of the NBA Draft on several platforms, including the Foxtel Now app.
In France, the 2026 NBA Draft will air on beIN Sports, which will broadcast both the first and second rounds. In addition, this event will stream on NBA League Pass for the basketball players’ auction.
The 2026 NBA Draft will stream on DAZN, which holds selective broadcast rights for the league in Spain.
In Turkey, fans can access the 2026 NBA Draft on S Sport Plus on both draft nights.
Analyzing the Top Draft Selections
First Round Order
Round
Pick
Team
1
1
Washington Wizards
1
2
Utah Jazz
1
3
Memphis Grizzlies
1
4
Chicago Bulls
1
5
Los Angeles Clippers (From Indiana)
1
6
Brooklyn Nets
1
7
Sacramento Kings
1
8
Atlanta Hawks (From New Orleans)
1
9
Dallas Mavericks
1
10
Milwaukee Bucks
1
11
Golden State Warriors
1
12
Oklahoma City Thunder (From L.A. Clippers)
1
13
Miami Heat
1
14
Charlotte Hornets
1
15
Chicago Bulls (From Portland)
1
16
Memphis Grizzlies (From Phoenix via Orlando)
1
17
Oklahoma City Thunder (From Philadelphia)
1
18
Charlotte Hornets (From Orlando via Phoenix)
1
19
Toronto Raptors
1
20
San Antonio Spurs (From Atlanta)
1
21
Detroit Pistons (From Minnesota)
1
22
Philadelphia 76ers (From Houston via Oklahoma City)
1
23
Atlanta Hawks (From Cleveland)
1
24
New York Knicks
1
25
Los Angeles Lakers
1
26
Denver Nuggets
1
27
Boston Celtics
1
28
Minnesota Timberwolves (From Detroit)
1
29
Cleveland Cavaliers (From San Antonio via Atlanta)
1
30
Dallas Mavericks (From Oklahoma City via Washington and Philadelphia)
Second Round Order
Round
Pick
Team
2
31
New York Knicks (From Washington via Oklahoma City and Houston)
2
32
Memphis Grizzlies (From Indiana via Milwaukee)
2
33
Brooklyn Nets
2
34
Sacramento Kings
2
35
San Antonio Spurs (From Utah via Minnesota)
2
36
Los Angeles Clippers (From Memphis via Utah and Atlanta)
2
37
Oklahoma City Thunder (From Dallas)
2
38
Chicago Bulls (From New Orleans via Boston, Detroit, and Portland)
2
39
Houston Rockets (From Chicago via Washington)
2
40
Boston Celtics (From Milwaukee via Orlando)
2
41
Miami Heat (From Golden State via Charlotte, New York, Oklahoma City, and Atlanta)
2
42
San Antonio Spurs (From Portland via New Orleans)
2
43
Brooklyn Nets (From LA Clippers via Houston)
2
44
San Antonio Spurs (From Miami via Indiana)
2
45
Sacramento Kings (From Charlotte via San Antonio, Atlanta, and New York)
2
46
Orlando Magic
2
47
Phoenix Suns (From Philadelphia via Houston and Oklahoma City)
2
48
Dallas Mavericks (From Phoenix via Washington)
2
49
Denver Nuggets (From Atlanta via Brooklyn and Golden State)
2
50
Toronto Raptors
2
51
Washington Wizards (From Minnesota via Detroit and New York)
2
52
Los Angeles Clippers (From Cleveland)
2
53
Houston Rockets
2
54
Golden State Warriors (From LA Lakers via Toronto, Miami, and Cleveland)
2
55
New York Knicks
2
56
Chicago Bulls (From Denver via Minnesota, Phoenix, Charlotte, and Phoenix)
2
57
Atlanta Hawks (From Boston)
2
58
New Orleans Pelicans (From Detroit via New York, Brooklyn, Phoenix, Orlando, and the LA Clippers)
2
59
Minnesota Timberwolves (From San Antonio via Indiana)
2
60
Washington Wizards ( From Oklahoma City via San Antonio and Miami)
NBA Draft 2026 Explained: From Lottery to Final Pick
The 2026 NBA Draft will feature a pre-trade draft, the lottery, eligible players, and early entrants.
All drafted players must be 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft. To be eligible for the 2026 NBA Draft, they must have been born on or before December 31, 2007.
The NBA Draft eligibility rules continue to follow as implemented by the NCAA Division I council for the NBA.
Players keep eligibility if they don’t sign with an agent or professional team and withdraw from the draft on time. Players who declare for the draft no longer automatically lose their college eligibility.
NCAA players have ten days after the NBA draft begins, usually held in mid-May, to withdraw from the draft. The NCAA extended the withdrawal deadline beyond the former mid-April deadline.
Players can contribute to the NBA draft combine. Each player can attend a team tryout without losing college eligibility.
Players can now enter and withdraw from the NBA draft twice without forfeiting their eligibility. Previously, a second draft declaration led to the permanent loss of eligibility.
Draft Lottery
Team
2025-26 Record
Lottery Chances
Washington Wizards
17-65
140
Indiana Pacers (to LA Clippers)
19-63
140
Brooklyn Nets
20-62
140
Utah Jazz
22-60
115
Sacramento Kings
22-60
115
Memphis Grizzlies
25-57
90
New Orleans Pelicans (to Atlanta)
26-56
68
Dallas Mavericks
26-56
67
Chicago Bulls
31-51
45
Milwaukee Bucks
32-50
30
Golden State Warriors
37-45
20
Los Angeles Clippers (to Oklahoma City)
42-40
15
Miami Heat
43-39
10
Charlotte Hornets
44-38
5
Eligibility and Entrants
College underclassmen
Players
Type
Basketball Team
Darius Acuff Jr.
Freshman
Arkansas Razorbacks
Nate Ament
Freshman
Tennessee Volunteers
Christian Anderson Jr.
Sophomore
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Cameron Boozer
Freshman
Duke Blue Devils
Mikel Brown Jr.
Freshman
Louisville Cardinals
Brayden Burries
Freshman
Arizona Wildcats
Cameron Carr
Sophomore
Baylor Bears
Chris Cenac
Freshman
Houston Cougars
AJ Dybantsa
Freshman
BYU Cougars
Isaiah Evans
Sophomore
Duke Blue Devils
Kingston Flemings
Freshman
Houston Cougars
Allen Graves
Freshman
Santa Clara Broncos
Morez Johnson Jr.
Sophomore
Michigan Wolverines
Aday Mara
Junior
Michigan Wolverines
Ebuka Okorie
Freshman
Stanford Cardinal
Koa Peat
Freshman
Arizona Wildcats
Darryn Peterson
Freshman
Kansas Jayhawks
Labaron Philon Jr.
Sophomore
Alabama Crimson Tide
Jayden Quaintance
Sophomore
Kentucky Wildcats
Hannes Steinbach
Freshman
Washington Huskies
Dailyn Swain
Junior
Texas Longhorns
Meleek Thomas
Freshman
Arkansas Razorbacks
Bryson Tucker
Sophomore
Washington Huskies
Henri Veesaar
Junior
North Carolina Tar Heels
Keaton Wagler
Freshman
Illinois Fighting Illini
Caleb Wilson
Freshman
North Carolina Tar Heels
International Players
Players
Basketball Team
Country
Mohammad Amini
SLUC Nancy Basket
France
Sergio de Larrea
Valencia Basket
Spain
Vsevolod Ischenko
PBC Lokomotiv Kuban
Russia
Jack Kayil
Alba Berlin
Germany
Karim López
New Zealand Breakers
Australia
A Look at the Draft’s Invited Guests
First Group
Players
Basketball Team
Darius Acuff Jr.
Arkansas Razorbacks
Nate Ament
Tennessee Volunteers
Christian Anderson Jr.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Cameron Boozer
Duke Blue Devils
Mikel Brown Jr.
Louisville Cardinals
Brayden Burries
Arizona Wildcats
AJ Dybantsa
BYU Cougars
Kingston Flemings
Houston Cougars
Karim López
New Zealand Breakers
Aday Mara
Michigan Wolverines
Darryn Peterson
Kansas Jayhawks
Labaron Philon Jr.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Keaton Wagler
Illinois Fighting Illini
Caleb Wilson
North Carolina Tar Heels
Second Group
Players
Basketball Team
Cameron Carr
Baylor Bears
Chris Cenac
Houston Cougars
Yaxel Lendeborg
Michigan Wolverines
Morez Johnson Jr.
Michigan Wolverines
Hannes Steinbach
Washington Huskies
Bennett Stirtz
Iowa Hawkeyes
Mock Draft
Round
Pick
Position
Projected Team
1
AJ Dybantsa
Small Forward
Washington Wizards
1
Darryn Peterson
Point Guard
Utah Jazz
1
Cameron Boozer
Power Forward
Memphis Grizzlies
1
Caleb Wilson
Power Forward
Chicago Bulls
1
Keaton Wagler
Point Guard
Los Angeles Clippers
1
Darius Acuff Jr.
Point Guard
Brooklyn Nets
1
Mikel Brown Jr.
Point Guard
Sacramento Kings
1
Kingston Flemings
Point Guard
Atlanta Hawks
1
Brayden Burries
Shooting Guard
Dallas Mavericks
1
Nate Ament
Power Forward
Milwaukee Bucks
1
Aday Mara
Center
Golden State Warriors
1
Morez Johnson Jr.
Power Forward
Oklahoma City Thunder
1
Yaxel Lendeborg
Power Forward
Miami Heat
1
Hannes Steinbach
Power Forward
Charlotte Hornets
1
Cameron Carr
Shooting Guard
Chicago Bulls
1
Christian Anderson
Point Guard
Memphis Grizzlies
1
Dailyn Swain
Small Forward
Oklahoma City Thunder
1
Allen Graves
Power Forward
Charlotte Hornets
1
Bennett Stirtz
Point Guard
Toronto Raptors
1
Jayden Quaintance
Center
San Antonio Spurs
1
Labaron Philon
Point Guard
Detroit Pistons
1
Koa Peat
Power Forward
Philadelphia 76ers
1
Henri Veesaar
Center
Atlanta Hawks
1
Karim Lopez
Power Forward
New York Knicks
1
Tarris Reed Jr.
Center
Los Angeles Lakers
1
Ebuka Okorie
Point Guard
Denver Nuggets
1
Chris Cenac Jr.
Power Forward
Boston Celtics
1
Meleek Thomas
Shooting Guard
Minnesota Timberwolves
1
Joshua Jefferson
Power Forward
Cleveland Cavaliers
1
Isaiah Evans
Shooting Guard
Dallas Mavericks
Previewing the Next Generation of NBA Talent
The 2026 NBA Draft will showcase the next generation of basketball talent for the upcoming NBA season. Top prospects, including AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Caleb Wilson, and Cameron Boozer, for the NBA Draft 2026. The two-day event will feature many standout college basketball players and emerging young talents who are pursuing professional opportunities. NBA fans are eagerly watching the highly anticipated NBA Draft at the arena.