Player Invitations
Twelve players have received coveted invitations to attend the 2024 NBA Draft, earning a seat in the prestigious green room. This initial batch of invites includes standout players such as Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr, Donovan Clingan, Reed Sheppard, Matas Buzelis, Stephon Castle, Dalton Knecht, Tidjane Salaun, Ron Holland, Cody Williams, Devin Carter, and Ja'Kobe Walter. These aspiring NBA stars were notified of their invitations this Tuesday.
The NBA is expected to send out another 11-12 invitations starting next week, with the green room guest list expanding as the draft approaches.
Green Room Details
The green room is a staging area situated in front of the NBA Draft podium, where players, their families, and agents await the moment when Commissioner Adam Silver announces their selection. This year, each player will be allowed to invite six people to sit at their individual tables, a reduction from the 10 allowed last year.
Receiving an invitation to the green room is generally seen as a positive indicator of a player's draft stock. While it often signifies a strong likelihood of being selected in the first round, there have been instances where prospects fell to the second round while sitting in the green room. Notable examples include Bol Bol, Deyonta Davis, Nic Claxton, Maciej Lampe, and Rashard Lewis, among others.
Draft Details
This year marks a significant change in the NBA Draft format, which will span two days for the first time. The first round is scheduled to take place on June 26 at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, while the second round will be held on June 27 in lower Manhattan. This new format introduces additional scrutiny over the final set of players invited to the green room, aiming to avoid a situation where an invited player and their family have to wait an extra day to hear their name called.
Last year, the final batch of invitations was not sent out until two days before the draft. The urgency of extending invites is underscored by the fact that all 12 players from the initial batch are projected to be lottery picks, reflecting their high standing among draft analysts and scouts.
Uninvited Projected Lottery Picks
Two projected lottery picks who have yet to receive an invitation to the green room are Kentucky's Rob Dillingham and Serbian point guard Nikola Topic. Dillingham has not completed all the necessary requirements to be eligible for selection in the draft, as stipulated by the NBA's collective bargaining agreement. An ankle injury prevented him from participating in athletic testing and shooting drills at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago in mid-May. This injury has also hindered him from attending private workouts with NBA teams. However, his ankle has since recovered, and he plans on completing those requirements at the Lakers' practice facility on Friday, according to his agent Lucas Newton of Klutch Sports.
In contrast, Topic's situation appears more complex. He was found to have a partially torn ACL at the NBA Draft Combine in Treviso, Italy, last week. This discovery has likely created uncertainty around his draft stock, as team doctors will need to fully evaluate the injury and decide on the best course of action regarding surgery and a subsequent recovery plan. This injury could potentially affect Topic's positioning and prospects in the upcoming draft.
The dynamic nature of the draft process means that unforeseen circumstances, such as injuries or incomplete pre-draft requirements, can significantly alter a player's draft trajectory. As the draft date nears, these young athletes and their representatives will be working diligently to ensure they are in the best possible position to capitalize on their basketball talents.
Overall, the initial batch of green room invites and the anticipation of further invitations highlight the meticulous planning and considerations that go into the NBA Draft. With only a few weeks remaining until this highly anticipated event, the basketball world eagerly awaits to see which players will join the ranks of professional athletes and embark on their NBA journeys.