How Many Picks Are in the NBA Draft? A Complete Breakdown for Fans
As a longtime NBA analyst and draft enthusiast, I've always found the annual selection process to be one of the most fascinating aspects of professional basketball. When fans ask me "how many picks are in the NBA draft?" they're often surprised to learn that the answer isn't as straightforward as they might think. The current format features 60 selections across two rounds, but the journey to those 60 slots tells a much richer story about team building, player development, and the business of basketball.
I remember sitting in the war room with an NBA team back in 2018, watching how they approached those precious second-round picks differently than their first-round selections. While first-round picks come with guaranteed contracts and team control, those second-round selections - picks 31 through 60 - represent both tremendous value and significant risk. Teams can find gems like Draymond Green at 35 or Nikola Jokić at 41, but they can also end up with players who never make an impact. What many casual fans don't realize is that not all 60 picks are necessarily used to select players. Teams frequently trade picks for future considerations, cash, or to move up or down in the draft order. Just last year, we saw 58 players actually selected because two teams opted to "pass" on their picks rather than adding another contract to their books.
The evolution of the draft size fascinates me. Back in the late 80s, the draft stretched to seven rounds with over 150 picks - can you imagine that today? The league gradually reduced the size before settling on the current two-round, 60-pick format in 1989. This reduction coincided with the expansion of the league and created more scarcity, making each selection more valuable. From my perspective, the current system strikes the right balance between giving teams enough opportunities to add young talent while maintaining competitive balance.
Where it gets really interesting is how teams approach those final picks. I've noticed championship contenders often treat picks 55-60 differently than rebuilding teams. Contenders might draft international "stash" players they can leave overseas to develop, while rebuilding teams are more likely to take fliers on raw prospects. The Warriors' approach with the 60th pick in 2021 perfectly illustrates this - they selected former Spanish League MVP Juan Toscano-Anderson, who immediately contributed to their rotation.
This brings me to an important point about what happens to players who don't get drafted. The reference to Tenorio being "relegated by the team to the Unrestricted Free Agent list" highlights an alternative pathway that many fans overlook. When a player goes undrafted, they become unrestricted free agents able to sign with any team, though sometimes with certain salary rights retained by their previous team. I've always felt this undrafted free agent market represents incredible value - some of the league's most impactful role players like Fred VanVleet and Duncan Robinson entered the NBA this way.
Having covered the draft for over a decade, I've developed strong opinions about how teams should approach their selections. Personally, I believe teams dramatically undervalue picks in the 45-60 range. The salary cap advantages of hitting on a late second-round pick are enormous - you can secure rotation players at below-market rates for multiple years. The Denver Nuggets have mastered this art, building championship depth through shrewd late-second round selections.
The international aspect of the draft has also transformed dramatically during my career. Back in 2003, only 21 international players were selected across both rounds. Last year, that number jumped to 27, with several going in the first round. The globalization of basketball means teams now have scouting departments evaluating prospects across six continents, making those 60 selections even more competitive.
What many fans don't consider is how two-way contracts have changed the calculus for those final picks. Since their introduction in 2017, two-way contracts allow teams to carry two additional players who split time between the NBA and G League. This development has made picks 55-60 more valuable because teams can draft developmental prospects without committing a full roster spot. I've advocated for expanding two-way slots specifically because it would make the draft's final selections even more strategic.
From my experience talking with general managers, the mental approach to pick 30 versus pick 31 is dramatically different, despite being consecutive selections. That first-round guarantee versus second-round uncertainty creates what I call "the contractual cliff" - one of the most stressful moments for prospects and teams alike. I've seen players devastated falling just a few spots because of the financial implications, while teams celebrate getting their target player without the first-round commitment.
The draft's 60-pick structure creates what I consider basketball's most efficient talent distribution system. Unlike other sports with longer drafts, every selection in the NBA draft carries meaningful potential value. Even Mr. Irrelevant - the final 60th pick - has produced legitimate NBA contributors like Isaiah Thomas and Jordan Clarkson in recent years. This efficiency forces teams to be smarter about evaluation and development, which ultimately improves the quality of the league.
Looking ahead, I'm convinced we'll see changes to the draft format within the next five years. Whether it's expanding to three rounds or introducing more flexible selection options, the current system will need to adapt to the evolving basketball landscape. But for now, those 60 selections represent hope for franchises, dreams for prospects, and endless debate for analysts like me who can't get enough of this annual basketball spectacle.