The NBA first introduced the draft lottery after the 1984 season in an effort to reduce concerns surrounding teams intentionally losing games to improve their draft position.
Before the lottery system existed, the top overall pick was decided through a coin flip between the worst teams in each conference.
The Houston Rockets won those coin flips in both 1983 and 1984, helping lead to the NBA’s decision to create a new system.
The original lottery format gave every non-playoff team equal odds at landing the No. 1 overall pick through a random envelope drawing.
In 1987, the league adjusted the process so that the lottery only determined the first three selections, with the remaining teams drafting in reverse order of their regular season record.
The NBA later replaced the envelope system entirely in 1990, introducing the weighted lottery format that remains in place today.
The last time the actual lottery drawing aired live on television came during the 1989 NBA Draft lottery, when the Sacramento Kings secured the No. 1 overall pick and eventually selected Pervis Ellison.
NBA’s Proposed 3-2-1 Lottery Could Bring Live TV Drawing Back For First Time Since 1989 https://t.co/D9kzVuSIDM
— RealGM (@RealGM) May 11, 2026
