NBA

What to Know About the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery

The 2022 NBA Draft Lottery takes place tonight

What to know about the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

Who will have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft?

We're about to finally get the answer to that question.

The first 14 picks of the draft will be finalized when the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery takes place tonight. Thirteen teams will enter with a chance to earn this year’s top overall selection, with bouncing ping pong balls deciding the winner.

From the date, how the lottery works, odds for the No. 1 pick and much more, here’s everything you need to know about this year’s draft lottery.

When is the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery?

The 2022 draft lottery is set for Tuesday, May 17.

What time is the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery?

The results of the lottery will be revealed at 8 p.m. ET.

Where is the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery?

This year’s draft lottery will be held in Chicago. Chicago is also hosting the draft combine from May 16-22.

What TV channel is the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery on?

ESPN will broadcast the 2022 lottery.

How can I stream the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery?

You can also stream the event on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.

How does the NBA draft lottery work?

The 14 teams that didn’t make the playoffs qualify for the draft lottery. A total of 1,000 four-digit number combinations are divided up between the lottery teams, with the teams with the three worst records getting the most combinations (140) and the best team getting the fewest (5).

For the drawing process, 14 ping pong balls numbered 1-14 are placed into a machine. The balls are mixed around in the machine with four being drawn one by one in 10-second intervals to make up a four-digit combination. Whichever team owns the four-digit combination that comes up first is awarded the No. 1 pick. That process is then repeated for the second, third and fourth picks. The rest of the lottery, pick Nos. 5-14, falls into place by inverse order of the regular-season standings.

The actual drawing process isn’t aired on TV, rather just the order of the lottery is revealed.

What are the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery odds?

After finishing with the three worst regular-season records in 2021-22, the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons are tied for the best odds to win the No. 1 pick at 14% apiece.

Houston, Orlando and Detroit all had top-four picks in last year’s draft, with Detroit picking Cade Cunningham at No. 1, the Rockets taking Jalen Green second and the Magic grabbing Jalen Suggs fourth. Each team has a 52.1% chance of picking in the top four once again. The Pistons will be looking to become the first team to win the lottery in consecutive years since the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2013-14.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have the next-best odds for the top pick at 12.5% and they carry a 48.1% chance of remaining in the top four. The Thunder, who have never won the draft lottery since it debuted in 1985, also own the Los Angeles Clippers’ unprotected pick from the Paul George trade. That selection has a 7.1% chance of moving into the top four and a 1.5% chance of turning into the No. 1 pick.

The Indiana Pacers are the only other team with at least a 10% chance for the top pick (10.5%) and at least a 40% chance to finish in the top four (42.1%).

The longest shot to win the lottery? That would be the Cavaliers with a 0.5% chance of jumping up from No. 14 to No. 1. The Cavs are actually responsible for one of the unlikeliest lottery wins of all time when they went from ninth to first in 2014, which had just a 1.7% chance of happening. But no team with fewer than 1.52% odds has ever won the No. 1 pick.

Other than the Clippers, the only other team in the lottery that doesn't own their selection is the Los Angeles Lakers. Thanks to the Anthony Davis trade, New Orleans will get the Lakers' pick as long as it stays in the top 10. Should it drop outside the top 10, the Memphis Grizzlies would get it as a result of the Steven Adams-Jonas Valanciunas trade.

Here’s a full look at each team’s odds for the top pick in 2022, as well as their chances to land inside the top four:

Houston Rockets: 14% (52.1% for top four)

Orlando Magic: 14% (52.1% for top four)

Detroit Pistons: 14% (52.1% for top four)

Oklahoma City Thunder: 12.5% (48.1% for top four)

Indiana Pacers: 10.5% (42.1% for top four)

Portland Trail Blazers: 9% (37.2% for top four)

Sacramento Kings: 7.5% (32% for top four)

New Orleans Pelicans (via L.A. Lakers, goes to Memphis if between 11-30): 6% (26.3% for top four)

San Antonio Spurs: 4.5% (20.3% for top four)

Washington Wizards: 3% (13.9% for top four)

New York Knicks: 2% (9.4% for top four)

Oklahoma City Thunder (via L.A. Clippers): 1.5% (7.1% for top four)

Charlotte Hornets: 1% (4.8% for top four)

Cleveland Cavaliers: 0.5% (2.4% for top four)

Who are the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery representatives?

Here's a look at who will be each team's on-stage representative at the lottery:

Houston Rockets: General manager Rafael Stone

Orlando Magic: President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman

Detroit Pistons: Franchise legend Rip Hamilton

Oklahoma City Thunder: Franchise legend Nick Collison

Indiana Pacers: Assistant general manager Kelly Krauskopf

Portland Trail Blazers: Point guard Damian Lillard

Sacramento Kings: Forward/center Domantas Sabonis

New Orleans Pelicans: Vice president of basketball operations Swin Cash-Canal

San Antonio Spurs: Franchise legend and strategic partner David Robinson

Washington Wizards: Head coach Wes Unseld Jr.

New York Knicks: Executive vice president and senior basketball advisor William Wesley

Charlotte Hornets: Foward P.J. Washington

Cleveland Cavaliers: Team ambassador Anderson Varejão

Who will be the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft?

Unlike last year with Cade Cunningham, there is no clear-cut No. 1 pick in 2022. But that doesn’t make it a weak class at the top of the draft. 

There are four main contenders to be the first overall selection: Auburn’s Jabari Smith, Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, Purdue’s Jaden Ivey and Duke’s Paolo Banchero. Who ultimately gets picked first between the four could come down to which team wins the lottery.

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