The Wizards emerge as the biggest winners of the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery.

On May 11th, the Washington Wizards secured the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago, meaning they will select the first overall pick in this year's draft. This is the team's first time securing the first pick since selecting John Wall in 2010.

The Wizards had only a 14% chance of winning the number one draft pick, tied for the highest with the Nets and Pacers, but ultimately emerged victorious in the lottery, becoming one of the biggest winners.

With a record of only 17 wins and 65 losses this season , the Wizards set one of their worst records in nearly 65 years, but this also resulted in a high return in the lottery, marking a crucial step in their rebuilding process from a slump.

Based on the draft results, the Utah Jazz got the second overall pick, the Memphis Grizzlies got the third overall pick, and the Chicago Bulls got the fourth overall pick; the Los Angeles Clippers, through a trade with the Pacers, got the fifth overall pick, becoming a major beneficiary in the early stages of the lottery.

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