NBA sets 2026 draft dates, shifts start to Tuesday night

The NBA has locked in the dates for the 2026 draft. Circle June 23 and June 24.

The event will once again be held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, with the now-familiar two-night format sticking around.

That means Round One on Tuesday. Round Two on Wednesday. Both starting at 8 p.m. EST.

Nothing new there. What is new is the start day.

For years, the draft lived on Thursday nights. Even after the league split things into two days in 2024, it kept that late-week feel. Not this time.

This one tips off Tuesday. There’s a reason for it.

The schedule tweak likely avoids a head-to-head clash with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Team USA set to face Turkey that Thursday night.

Smart move. No need to compete with that.

As for key deadlines, they’re now official too. Early entry declarations are due April 24 at 11:59 p.m. EST. That’s the NCAA cutoff, landing 60 days before draft night.

The withdrawal deadline comes June 13 at 5 p.m. EST, 10 days before things get started.

So yeah, same setup. Slightly different calendar. And just like that, draft season is officially on the clock.