2024 NBA Draft Lottery: Odds, how it works, date, time

Before the 2024 NBA Draft takes place on June 26-27, the order for the first 14 picks of the draft will first be determined at the NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago on May 12.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery.

When is the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery?

The 2024 NBA Draft Lottery will be televised on May 12 at 8:30 p.m ET on ESPN.

2024 NBA Draft Lottery order and odds for No. 1 pick

Below are the NBA lottery odds based on team standings on 4/10/2024. The final odds will be in place at the end of the NBA regular season on April 14.

1. Detroit Pistons (14%)
2. Washington Wizards (14%)
3. Charlotte Hornets (14%)
4. San Antonio Spurs (12.5%)
5. Portland Trail Blazers (10.5%)
6. Toronto Raptors (9.0%)
7. Memphis Grizzlies (7.5%)
8. Utah Jazz (6%)
9. Brooklyn Nets (4.5%) – Rights to pick to Houston
10. Atlanta Hawks (3.0%)
11. Chicago Bulls (1.8%)
12. Houston Rockets (1.7%)
13. Golden State Warriors (1.0%)
14. Los Angeles Lakers (0.5%) – Rights to pick to New Orleans

How does the NBA Draft Lottery work?

In advance of the draft lottery broadcast, an actual lottery takes place with a representative from the accounting firm Ernst & Young overseeing the entire process. The results of that drawing are then sealed in an envelope for NBA deputy commissioner and chief operating officer Mark Tatum reveal in descending order to a panel of 14 anxious team representatives.

The No. 1 pick in the draft is awarded to the team that draws the winning four-number combination from the lottery machine. There are 14 ping-pong balls numbered one through 14, with each number representing a different lottery team. In total, there are 1,001 possible four-number combinations, but only one winning combination.

Once a winner is selected, the drawing process is repeated to determine picks 2-4. The rest of the draft is done in order of win percentage.

Who is the favorite to go No. 1 overall?

Unlike last year’s draft where French big man Victor Wembanyama was the consensus No. 1 overall pick, this year’s draft class is harder to peg. Some of the notable 2024 NBA Draft prospects include France’s Alex Parr and Zaccharie Risacher, UConn’s Stephon Castle and Serbia’s Nikola Topic.

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