How the draft works

Last update: May 20, 2008 - 1:01 AM

HOW IT WORKS

Contrary to popular belief, a ping-pong ball bearing a team logo doesn't pop out to determine the winner. The lottery is conducted in a back room at NBA Studios in Secaucus, N.J., more than two hours before results are announced.

Four of fourteen balls, numbered one through 14, are randomly selected. There are 1,001 possible different combinations, without regard to order. The 14 lottery teams are assigned 1,000 of those combinations according to their finish last season: Miami, with the worst record among the non-playoff teams, gets 250 combinations. Golden State, with the best record, gets five.

The team assigned the combination from the first four balls to pop from the lottery machine wins the No. 1 overall pick. The process is repeated for the second and third picks. If the 1,001st combination or one assigned to an already selected team is chosen, the balls are redrawn until three teams are assigned the first three picks.

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