NBA Draft Lottery Introduced

The Rule Change

The NBA replaced its system of awarding the top draft pick to the worst team in each conference with a lottery among all non-playoff teams. The change was designed to discourage teams from deliberately losing games to secure the first overall pick.

Statistical Impact

Reduced but did not eliminate tanking incentives. The lottery introduced an element of chance that made losing a less reliable path to top picks. The system has been revised multiple times since — most notably in 2019 when the odds were flattened — but the core lottery concept from 1983 remains the framework for how the NBA distributes draft capital.

3-Year Average: Before vs. After