How many picks are in the NBA Draft?

The NBA Draft is one of the most exciting offseason events. It typically takes place towards the end of June, and this is where teams make their selections from a pool of the best players from colleges, the NBA G League, and overseas leagues.

Some draft classes have been more star-studded than others. Some of the best draft classes include the 1984 class, the 1996 class, and the 2003 class where legendary players such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony were selected.

With just one pick, the fortunes of a franchise can be altered for the better, depending on the skill level of the player selected.

But how many picks can be made in the NBA Draft as it currently stands? We'll answer any questions about the format of the draft in this piece.

How many picks are in the NBA Draft?

The NBA Draft first took place in 1947, in the very early days of the NBA. A draft has taken place every year since then.

There are two rounds in the NBA Draft, and with 30 teams in the NBA, 60 total players are drafted. Typically, each team gets one pick per round. However, there can always be exceptions made.

Some notable exceptions include when teams trade players for picks. Depending on when such trades happen, certain teams can have multiple picks per round, or even more than two picks in a given draft. These trades can take place during the regular season before the trade deadline, immediately after the regular season for teams that did not reach the playoffs, in the offseason, and even on draft night.

Some restrictions apply of course, such as the Stepien Rule. This rule states that teams cannot trade their first-round draft picks in consecutive seasons. The rule does not apply to second-round picks.

For example, if the Boston Celtics made an attempt to acquire Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from the Oklahoma City Thunder next season, they would not be allowed to surrender their first-round picks from both 2025 and 2026.

The order of the draft is determined by what is called a Draft Lottery. The lottery determines the order of the first 14 picks. The 10 teams that missed the postseason and the four teams that were eliminated in the play-in tournament each have a chance to secure Pick No. 1.

The first four picks are determined by drawing ping-pong balls with four-number combinations. The team with the corresponding combination receives the earliest pick.

The order of the remaining teams that did not make the playoffs or were eliminated in the play-in round is determined by the regular season record. The team with the worst regular season record draws the earliest pick, and the same goes for picks 15-60 in the draft.

Hopefully, we have cleared up any confusion on the NBA Draft, how many picks in total there are, and the format of the draft.