[1] The draft started at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (23:00 UTC), and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN.

The Cleveland Cavaliers had the first pick due to a previous trade they had involving the Los Angeles Clippers, choosing point guard Kyrie Irving of Duke.

[21] U.S. players who were at least one year removed from their high school graduation and have played minor-league basketball with a team outside the NBA are also automatically eligible.

The first 14 picks in the draft belong to teams that missed the playoffs; the order will be determined through a lottery.

As it is commonplace in the event of identical win–loss records, the NBA performed a random drawing to break the ties on April 15, 2011.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, who obtained the Los Angeles Clippers' first-round draft pick, won the lottery.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, who had the worst record and the biggest chance to win the lottery, won the second pick.

[29][30] Below were the chances for each team to get specific picks in the 2011 draft lottery, rounded to three decimal places.