The Milwaukee Bucks are heading to the 2026 NBA Draft lottery, and for the first time in a decade, they'll be watching the ping-pong balls with bated breath. After a dominant seven-year stretch that included the league's best regular-season record, two Eastern Conference finals appearances, and a 2021 NBA championship, the bottom fell out this season. The Bucks stumbled to just 32 wins—their worst campaign in 10 years—and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16.
That's a long way from where they were in 2016, the last time the franchise participated in the lottery. Back then, the Bucks were still figuring out how to build around a raw 21-year-old named Giannis Antetokounmpo. They used the No. 10 pick to select 7-foot teenager Thon Maker, a move that now feels like a distant memory from a different era.
Fast forward to today, and the stakes couldn't be higher. The Bucks are at a crossroads, deciding whether to trade their franchise legend and use this lottery pick as a cornerstone for a new rebuild—or keep Giannis and use the selection as a supporting piece for another championship push. Either way, the May 10 lottery will be a pivotal moment for the organization and any potential trade partners.
Here's everything you need to know about the 2026 NBA Draft lottery:
When and where: The lottery takes place Sunday, May 10, at 2 p.m. Central at McCormick Place in Chicago. You can catch the action live on ABC or stream it on the ESPN app. Representatives from all 14 eligible teams will be on stage, but the real drama happens behind closed doors.
In a sealed room, league officials, team reps, and a handful of objective media members will oversee the drawing of ping-pong balls. There are 1,001 possible four-ball combinations. Teams are assigned 1,000 of them, with the 1,001st combination (11-12-13-14) triggering a re-draw if it comes up.
The odds: Each team gets a specific number of combinations based on their lottery chances. For instance, the Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers, and Washington Wizards each have a 14% shot at the No. 1 pick, meaning they each hold 140 combinations. The Bucks' odds will depend on where they land in the lottery standings—but no matter what, every fan should be ready for a day that could shape the franchise's next chapter.