NBA draft lottery winners and losers: Did tanking pay off?

May 10, 2026 - 19:37

The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery was held Sunday, May 10 in Chicago, setting the order for the first 14 picks and answering the question of whether a season of deliberate losing actually paid off. For some teams, the gamble worked. For others, it was a painful reminder that the lottery is a cruel game of chance.

The biggest winner of the night was the San Antonio Spurs. Despite having the fourth-best odds, they jumped into the top three and secured the second overall pick. This is a massive win for a franchise that already has a generational talent in Victor Wembanyama. Adding another elite prospect to that core could accelerate their timeline back to contention. The ping-pong balls clearly favored them.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Washington Wizards were the night's biggest losers. They finished with the league's worst record, giving them the best odds at the number one pick. However, they slid all the way down to the fourth pick. That drop is a brutal outcome for a team that endured a historically bad season. The Detroit Pistons, who had the second-worst record, also fell, landing at number five. Their rebuild continues to stall.

The Portland Trail Blazers were a quiet winner. They held the third-best odds and stayed put at number three. While not a jump, holding that position is a victory in a draft where the top tier is considered strong. The Charlotte Hornets, meanwhile, moved up slightly to the sixth spot, a small but welcome surprise.

the lottery confirmed that tanking is a high-risk strategy. The Spurs proved it can pay off, but the Wizards showed that even the worst record guarantees nothing. The draft order is now set, and the real work begins for the front offices.