2023 NBA Draft Lottery: where to watch the live stream for free

For the 14 NBA teams that do not make the playoffs, the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery provides hope for a better season to come. As one of the key events on the NBA calendar, the draft lottery determines the No. 1 pick in June’s NBA Draft. This year, the team who wins the first pick will have the right to draft the French phenom Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot, 2-inch center who has been touted as the best prospect since LeBron James.

The draft lottery determines pick No. 1 through No. 4 by using numbered ping-pong balls. Picks No. 5 through No. 14 are then based winning percentage. Which team will change the trajectory of their franchise at the draft lottery? Find out how to watch the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery below!

How to watch the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery live stream on ESPN

The 2023 NBA Draft Lottery will be broadcast on ESPN. Coverage of the draft lottery begins at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 16. The lottery will be followed by Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets. The lottery can be streamed through the ESPN app or from a desktop on Watch ESPN. You will need a cable provider for access.

How does the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery work?

The 14 teams that missed the playoffs are eligible for the draft lottery. Via NBA.com, “Fourteen ping-pong balls numbered 1 through 14 will be placed in a lottery machine. There are 1,001 possible combinations when four balls are drawn out of 14, without regard to their order of selection. Before the lottery, 1,000 of those 1,001 combinations will be assigned to the 14 participating lottery teams. The lottery machine is manufactured by the Smart Play Company, a leading manufacturer of state lottery machines throughout the United States. Smart Play also weighs, measures and certifies the ping pong balls before the drawing.”

“All 14 balls are placed in the lottery machine and they are mixed for 20 seconds, and then the first ball is removed. The remaining balls are mixed in the lottery machine for another 10 seconds, and then the second ball is drawn. There is a 10-second mix, and then the third ball is drawn. There is a 10-second mix, and then the fourth ball is drawn. The team that has been assigned that combination will receive the No. 1 pick. The same process is repeated with the same ping-pong balls and lottery machine for the second through fourth picks.”

Below are the draft lottery order and odds for the No. 1 pick.

1. Detroit Pistons (14%)
2. Houston Rockets (14%)
3. San Antonio Spurs (14%)
4. Charlotte Hornets (12.5%)
5. Portland Trail Blazers (10.5%)
6. Orlando Magic (9.0%)
7. Indiana Pacers (6.8%)
8. Washington Wizards (6.7%)
9. Utah Jazz (4.5%)
10. Dallas Mavericks (3.0% – pick could convey to New York)
11. Chicago Bulls (1.8% – pick could convey to Orlando)
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (1.7%)
13. Toronto Raptors (1.0%)
14. New Orleans Pelicans (0.5%)

Watch the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery live stream on Hulu with Live TV

Hulu with Live TV includes ESPN, so subscribers can stream the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery. Hulu with Live TV has two subscription plans. The $70 monthly plan includes Hulu (with ads) + Live TV, Disney+ (with ads), and ESPN+ (with ads). The $83 monthly plan includes Hulu (no ads) + Live TV, Disney+ (no ads), and ESPN+ (with ads). Hulu with Live TV features over 85 live and on-demand channels, including BET, Freeform, MTV, TBS, TNT, VH1, and USA.

Watch the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery live stream on Sling TV

Sling TV subscribers can watch ESPN with either the Orange package or the combined bundle of Orange and Blue. These packages vary in monthly pricing from $40 to $60. New users can receive $10 off their first month if they sign up today. Besides ESPN, channels offered on Sling TV include TBS, TNT, NBC, Food Network, and HGTV.

Watch the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery live stream on YouTube TV for FREE

If your subscription TV streaming service is YouTube TV, then subscribers can watch the draft lottery on ESPN. New subscribers will only pay $63 for the first three months of YouTube TV before it increases to its normal rate of $73 per month. There are over 100 channels, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, and TNT. If you want to experience YouTube TV, sign up for a FREE trial.

Watch the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery live stream on Fubo TV for FREE

Fubo TV is all about variety, with four packages available for purchase: Pro, $75 per month; Elite, $85 per month; Premiere, $95 per month; and a special Latino package for $33 per month. ESPN is available on Fubo TV, so users will not miss the draft lottery. You can also check out other news and entertainment channels, including MSNBC, FX, TLC, MTV, and CMT. Subscribers can sign up for a FREE trial and cancel anytime without penalty.

Watch the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery live stream from abroad with a VPN

For fans of the worldwide leader in sports that will be abroad during the draft lottery can sign up for a VPN service. A VPN, or virtual private network, allows Americans abroad to stream ESPN. A service like NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users, so there’s no penalty to try it.