NBA's Proposed 3-2-1 Lottery Could Bring Live TV Drawing Back For First Time Since 1989

Under the proposed format, 37 Ping Pong balls adorned with team logos would be used among the 16 participating lottery teams. A live drawing would also alter the current process that requires each team to send both an on-the-dais representative and an off-camera participant in a sealed room, along with media witnesses. The NBA first introduced a lottery system after the 1984 season to address tanking concerns, replacing a coin flip that the Houston Rockets had won in both 1983 and 1984. The original format gave each non-playoff team an equal chance at the top pick through a random envelope drawing. Starting in 1987, the lottery determined only the first three picks, with remaining teams selecting in reverse order of their record. The envelope system was replaced by the current weighted lottery format in 1990. The last time the lottery drawing was conducted live on television was the 1989 draft when the Sacramento Kings won the No. 1 overall pick and selected Pervis Ellison.