Anyone But the Thunder: The Worst NBA Draft Lottery Winners Possible
AJ Dybantsa. Cameron Boozer. Darryn Peterson.
For months, people have debated which one of these three prized prospects should go No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft.
And honestly, there might not be an answer until Sunday, when the NBA Draft Lottery decides officially who will pick No. 1 this summer.
Each of the 14 teams with a chance to get the top spot has different needs, which makes this Sunday’s lottery ball spectacle one of the bigger nights of the basketball year.
While some teams deserve some luck with the bouncing lottery balls, others, specifically one giant orange and blue elephant in the room, might destroy the NBA if they win.
Here are the worst possible winners for Sunday’s Draft Lottery.
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Oklahoma City Thunder
Honestly, it’s the Thunder, then a Grand Canyon-sized gap to the other teams on this list.
The Thunder can’t win this lottery. If they do, then they could add a ready-made player like Cameron Boozer to their lineup, who would fit perfectly alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren.
Any of the golden trio would turn the possibly dynastic Thunder into arguably the deepest roster in NBA history.
If the Thunder, using the pick they got from the Clippers by trading Paul George for reigning MVP Gilgeous-Alexander, won the lottery, it might actually destroy the NBA.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks made one of, if not the worst, trades in sports history by sending off Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis last season, and then were saved by getting Cooper Flagg, who was even better than advertised.
Flagg was enough. If they somehow got Peterson or Dybantsa as well, all sympathy for Nico Harrison’s malpractice will be gone, if it isn’t already.
Golden State Warriors
On one hand, the Warriors are staring down the barrel of a very bleak future with Steph Curry winding down his career and desperately need a top pick.
But then you remember the whole Kevin Durant thing, and all of that worrying about Golden State’s future goes out the window.
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This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 1:20 PM.