Winners, Losers from NBA Draft Lottery: Shameless tanking for the win. And Toni Kukoc.

The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery resulted in the Washington Wizards winning the No. 1 overall pick, making them the first team with the worst record to secure the top pick since the NBA changed its lottery odds. The top three picks went to teams widely criticized for deliberate tanking, including the Utah Jazz, who received a significant fine for their tanking strategy and largely benched acquired player Jaren Jackson Jr. to protect their draft position. Teams seen as taking a more moderate approach to tanking, such as the Sacramento Kings and Brooklyn Nets, missed out on the top selections.