The NBA will chart the early career courses of its next wave of young talent Tuesday night with its annual draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The league’s 30 teams will be choosing players over two rounds in two nights.
The Washington Wizards have the first overall pick after winning the draft lottery last month.
Here are the details on how to watch and what to know about the 2026 NBA Draft:
How to watch the 2026 NBA Draft
- When: June 23-24
- Time: Each day begins at 8 p.m. ET
- TV: ABC and ESPN on Tuesday, June 23; ESPN on Wednesday, June 24.
2026 NBA Draft schedule
The first round will be held on Tuesday, June 23. The second round will be held on Wednesday, June 24.
2026 NBA Draft time
Teams will have 5 minutes to make their picks in the first round and 4 minutes for their selections int the second round.
Both rounds will start at 8 p.m. ET.
2026 NBA Draft projected top picks
According to NBC Sports’ Raphielle Johnson, AJ Dybantsa of BYU is projected as the top overall selection.
The rest of the top five prospects are:
- Darryn Peterson (Kansas)
- Cameron Boozer (Duke)
- Caleb Wilson (North Carolina)
- Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas)
How many rounds are in the 2026 NBA Draft?
There are two rounds with 30 picks apiece.
Why is the 2026 NBA Draft two nights?
The league expanded the draft to two nights in 2024.
NBA officials said they wanted to give teams more time to group between rounds and have additional time between picks in the second round. A second night also allowed more time to “showcase the draftees.”
How many picks are there in the NBA draft?
There are 60 total picks in the NBA Draft.
