We ranked all 892 team seasons from 1996-97 to 2025-26 using NBA.com's official standings and game logs, and took earlier seasons from Wikipedia's list of seasons below .175, checking each one against the team's own season article. Four of our seasons were shorter than 82 games: 1998-99 (50 games) and 2011-12 (66), both cut by lockouts, 2019-20 (64 to 75) and 2020-21 (72). Wherever we compare wins across seasons, those records are scaled to an 82-game pace.
The worst records in NBA history by winning percentage
Fourteen team seasons have ended below .175. The Bobcats took the lowest winning percentage from the 1972-73 76ers, who had finished at .110. Charlotte won for the last time on March 17, 2012, against the Toronto Raptors, then lost its final 23 games, one of the longest losing streaks since 1996-97. The other records at the bottom:
- Most losses: 73, by the 1972-73 76ers, also the worst record over a full 82 games, only six seasons after the franchise had set the NBA records for wins and winning percentage.
- Fewest wins: 6, by the 1947-48 Providence Steamrollers, 6-42 in a 48-game season when the league was still the Basketball Association of America.
- Worst point differential: the 1992-93 Dallas Mavericks, outscored by 15.2 points a game on the way to 11-71.
- Fewest wins in an 82-game season since 1996-97: 10, by the 2015-16 76ers.
| Rank | Season | Team | Record | Win pct. | Wins per 82 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2011-12 | Charlotte Bobcats | 7-59 | .106 | 8.7 |
| 2 | 1972-73 | Philadelphia 76ers | 9-73 | .110 | 9.0 |
| 3 | 2015-16 | Philadelphia 76ers | 10-72 | .122 | 10.0 |
| 4 | 1947-48 | Providence Steamrollers | 6-42 | .125 | 10.3 |
| 5 | 1992-93 | Dallas Mavericks | 11-71 | .134 | 11.0 |
| 5 | 1997-98 | Denver Nuggets | 11-71 | .134 | 11.0 |
| 7 | 1986-87 | Los Angeles Clippers | 12-70 | .146 | 12.0 |
| 7 | 2009-10 | New Jersey Nets | 12-70 | .146 | 12.0 |
| 9 | 1993-94 | Dallas Mavericks | 13-69 | .159 | 13.0 |
| 9 | 2004-05 | Atlanta Hawks | 13-69 | .159 | 13.0 |
| 11 | 1998-99 | Vancouver Grizzlies | 8-42 | .160 | 13.1 |
| 12 | 1982-83 | Houston Rockets | 14-68 | .171 | 14.0 |
| 12 | 1996-97 | Vancouver Grizzlies | 14-68 | .171 | 14.0 |
| 12 | 2023-24 | Detroit Pistons | 14-68 | .171 | 14.0 |
Eight of the 14 came in the 30 seasons since 1996-97, but only one in the last 10: the 2023-24 Detroit Pistons, at 14-68. Five teams have won fewer than 10 games in a season, and the 1972-73 76ers are the only one that played a full 82.
The worst record in each NBA season since 1996-97
The median last-place team of the last 30 seasons won 17 games per 82, and 17-65 was the worst record seven times, including three of the last four seasons. The best last-place record in that span was the 2006-07 Memphis Grizzlies' 22-60. Two seasons ended in a tie at the bottom, 2001-02 and 2002-03, and three franchises finished last two years running: the Chicago Bulls in 2000-01 and 2001-02, the Houston Rockets in 2020-21 and 2021-22 and the Pistons in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
| Season | Team | Record | Draft pick | Next season | Three seasons later |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | Vancouver Grizzlies | 14-68 | No. 4 | 19-63 | 22-60 |
| 1997-98 | Denver Nuggets | 11-71 | No. 3 | 14-36 | 40-42 |
| 1998-99 | Vancouver Grizzlies | 8-42 | No. 2 | 22-60 | 23-59 |
| 1999-00 | Los Angeles Clippers | 15-67 | No. 3 | 31-51 | 27-55 |
| 2000-01 | Chicago Bulls | 15-67 | No. 4 | 21-61 | 23-59 |
| 2001-02 | Chicago Bulls (tied) | 21-61 | No. 2 | 30-52 | 47-35 |
| 2001-02 | Golden State Warriors (tied) | 21-61 | No. 3 | 38-44 | 34-48 |
| 2002-03 | Cleveland Cavaliers (tied) | 17-65 | No. 1 | 35-47 | 50-32 |
| 2002-03 | Denver Nuggets (tied) | 17-65 | No. 3 | 43-39 | 44-38 |
| 2003-04 | Orlando Magic | 21-61 | No. 1 | 36-46 | 40-42 |
| 2004-05 | Atlanta Hawks | 13-69 | No. 2 | 26-56 | 37-45 |
| 2005-06 | Portland Trail Blazers | 21-61 | No. 4 | 32-50 | 54-28 |
| 2006-07 | Memphis Grizzlies | 22-60 | No. 4 | 22-60 | 40-42 |
| 2007-08 | Miami Heat | 15-67 | No. 2 | 43-39 | 58-24 |
| 2008-09 | Sacramento Kings | 17-65 | No. 4 | 25-57 | 22-44 |
| 2009-10 | New Jersey Nets | 12-70 | No. 3 | 24-58 | 49-33 |
| 2010-11 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 17-65 | No. 2 | 26-40 | 40-42 |
| 2011-12 | Charlotte Bobcats | 7-59 | No. 2 | 21-61 | 33-49 |
| 2012-13 | Orlando Magic | 20-62 | No. 2 | 23-59 | 35-47 |
| 2013-14 | Milwaukee Bucks | 15-67 | No. 2 | 41-41 | 42-40 |
| 2014-15 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 16-66 | No. 1 | 29-53 | 47-35 |
| 2015-16 | Philadelphia 76ers | 10-72 | No. 1 | 28-54 | 51-31 |
| 2016-17 | Brooklyn Nets | 20-62 | No. 1 (Boston) | 28-54 | 35-37 |
| 2017-18 | Phoenix Suns | 21-61 | No. 1 | 19-63 | 51-21 |
| 2018-19 | New York Knicks | 17-65 | No. 3 | 21-45 | 37-45 |
| 2019-20 | Golden State Warriors | 15-50 | No. 2 | 39-33 | 44-38 |
| 2020-21 | Houston Rockets | 17-55 | No. 2 | 20-62 | 41-41 |
| 2021-22 | Houston Rockets | 20-62 | No. 3 | 22-60 | 52-30 |
| 2022-23 | Detroit Pistons | 17-65 | No. 5 | 14-68 | 60-22 |
| 2023-24 | Detroit Pistons | 14-68 | No. 5 | 44-38 | — |
| 2024-25 | Utah Jazz | 17-65 | No. 5 | 22-60 | — |
| 2025-26 | Washington Wizards | 17-65 | No. 1 | — | — |
How often NBA teams win 15 games or fewer
Seasons of 15 or fewer wins have become rarer. Counting shortened seasons at an 82-game pace, there were 8 from 1996-97 to 2005-06, 6 from 2006-07 to 2015-16 and 2 in the last 10 seasons, both in 2023-24:
- 1996-97 to 2005-06: the Vancouver Grizzlies (14-68) and Boston Celtics (15-67) in 1996-97, the Denver Nuggets (11-71) in 1997-98, the Grizzlies (8-42) and Los Angeles Clippers (9-41) in 1998-99, the Clippers (15-67) in 1999-00, the Bulls (15-67) in 2000-01 and the Atlanta Hawks (13-69) in 2004-05.
- 2006-07 to 2015-16: the Miami Heat (15-67) in 2007-08, the New Jersey Nets (12-70) and Minnesota Timberwolves (15-67) in 2009-10, the Bobcats (7-59) in 2011-12, the Milwaukee Bucks (15-67) in 2013-14 and the 76ers (10-72) in 2015-16.
- 2016-17 to 2025-26: the Pistons (14-68) and Washington Wizards (15-67) in 2023-24.
The bottom has not emptied, though. The last 10 seasons had 39 teams under .300, against 37 in each of the two decades before; what has thinned out is the extreme. The last-place team averaged 18.1 wins per 82 in the latest decade, against 16.1 and 15.3 in the two before. Scaling matters at the edges: the 2019-20 Golden State Warriors won 15 games but played only 65, an 18.9-win pace, so they are not counted, and neither are the 1998-99 Bulls (13-37) and Nuggets (14-36).
What the worst NBA team does the next season
Last place rarely leads straight to the playoffs. The 31 last-place teams with a season since averaged 28.5 wins per 82 the next year and 28 of them improved, but only 4 made the playoffs: the 2003-04 Nuggets, the 2008-09 Heat, the 2014-15 Bucks and the 2024-25 Pistons. That is 13 percent, against 9.9 percent for all teams that finished under .300. Ten were again among the three worst teams, and three finished last again.
The bigger change comes later. Three seasons on, the 29 teams with that much history averaged 41.2 wins per 82, about a .500 pace, 13 had winning records and 16 were in the playoffs. One went all the way: the 2019-20 Warriors, last at 15-50, won the NBA title two seasons later.
How often the worst record gets the No. 1 pick
The worst record's pick came up first in 7 of the 30 drafts from 1997 to 2026, close to what the lottery odds of each era allowed. It landed second 10 times, third and fourth five times each, and fifth in 2023, 2024 and 2025. In 2017 the winning pick came from the Brooklyn Nets' last-place finish but belonged to the Boston Celtics.
The six last-place teams before 2025-26 whose pick came up first were all in the playoffs three seasons later: the 2002-03 Cleveland Cavaliers, the 2003-04 Orlando Magic, the 2014-15 Timberwolves, the 2015-16 76ers, the 2016-17 Nets and the 2017-18 Phoenix Suns. Of the other 23, 10 were. Six is a small group, and the Nets got there without their pick.
The worst records in the NBA in 2025-26
The Washington Wizards finished last at 17-65 and won the 2026 draft lottery. They were outscored by 12.0 points a game, the third-widest margin since 1996-97, behind the 2011-12 Bobcats (13.9) and the 2024-25 Wizards (12.4). Over the last three seasons Washington has gone 15-67, 18-64 and 17-65, and only three franchises have had a worse three-season stretch since 1996-97: the 76ers from 2013-14 to 2015-16, the Grizzlies from 1996-97 to 1998-99 and the Clippers from 1997-98 to 1999-00.
| Team | Record | Point diff. | 2026 draft pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Wizards | 17-65 | −12.0 | No. 1 |
| Indiana Pacers | 19-63 | −8.0 | No. 5 (to the Clippers) |
| Brooklyn Nets | 20-62 | −10.0 | No. 6 |
| Utah Jazz | 22-60 | −8.4 | No. 2 |
| Sacramento Kings | 22-60 | −10.0 | No. 7 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 25-57 | −6.0 | No. 3 |
The 2026-27 season began on Tuesday, October 20, and its final standings will set the first draft under the NBA's new lottery format. Through Nov. 2, Washington, last in 2025-26, was 4-3, and six teams shared the league's worst record, 1-6: the Bucks, Nets, Bulls, Clippers, Jazz and Kings. The NBA schedule lists every game, and the NBA simulator lets you play out the standings.
Worst records in NBA history: frequently asked questions
What is the worst record in NBA history? The 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats' 7-59, a .106 winning percentage in a 66-game season. Over a full 82 games, the worst is the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers' 9-73.
Which NBA team lost the most games in a season? The 1972-73 76ers, with 73. Since 1996-97 the most is 72, by the 2015-16 76ers.
Who had the worst record in the NBA in 2025-26? The Washington Wizards, at 17-65. Their pick then won the 2026 draft lottery.
How often does the NBA's worst team get the No. 1 pick? Seven times in the 30 drafts from 1997 to 2026, most recently the 2026 Wizards.
Do last-place NBA teams make the playoffs the next season? Rarely: 4 of the 31 since 1996-97 did. Three seasons later, 16 of 29 were in the playoffs.
How this was built: all 892 NBA team seasons from 1996-97 to 2025-26, from NBA.com's official standings and team game logs, each record rebuilt from the game logs and checked against the standings. Earlier seasons come from Wikipedia's list of seasons below .175, checked against each team's season article and, for 1989-90 to 1995-96, against NBA.com's standings; the list leaves out the 1996-97 Vancouver Grizzlies (14-68). Wins per 82 games scale the 1947-48, 1998-99, 2011-12, 2019-20 and 2020-21 records, and ties for last count both teams. Draft picks come from our lottery study; making the playoffs means reaching the first round.