The Memphis Grizzlies have a date with destiny—or at least with the ping-pong balls—on May 10, when the 2026 NBA draft lottery tips off at 2 p.m. CT on ABC. For a franchise that has never secured the No. 1 overall pick, this year brings a tantalizing opportunity: Memphis enters with the sixth-best odds at landing the top selection.

History shows the Grizzlies are no strangers to the top of the draft board, though they've always settled for second best. The team has selected at No. 2 overall five times, landing names like Mike Bibby, Steve Francis, Stromile Swift, Hasheem Thabeet, and, most notably, Ja Morant. That last pick, in 2019, transformed the franchise. Now, could Lady Luck finally deliver that elusive first pick?

This marks only the second time since 2020 that Memphis will use its own lottery selection. The Grizzlies added Ziaire Williams via trade at No. 10 in 2021, and their most recent direct lottery appearance came in 2024, when they drafted Zach Edey at No. 9. With the team's core maturing and expectations rising, this draft could be a pivotal moment to add another cornerstone.

The NBA draft lottery itself has undergone several tweaks over the years, all designed to discourage tanking—the practice of intentionally losing games to improve draft position. The current system levels the playing field, giving teams with the worst records only slightly better odds than those just outside the basement. For the Grizzlies, that means even with the sixth-best odds, a leap to No. 1 is possible, though far from guaranteed.

As Memphis awaits its fate, fans can dream of what a top pick could mean for a team already built around young talent. Whether it's a franchise-altering star or a key role player, May 10 will set the stage for the next chapter in Grizzlies basketball.