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 12 invites was dispatched this Tuesday, highlighting the league's acknowledgment of these players' significant draft potential. The honored athletes include 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.
Another 11 to 12 invitations are anticipated to be sent out in waves starting next week, casting further excitement among draft hopefuls and their supporters.
Green Room Details
The green room serves as a staging area situated in front of the NBA Draft podium. This exclusive space allows players, their families, and agents to 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. This change aims to streamline the process and ensure a smoother experience for all involved.
Receiving an invitation to the green room is generally seen as a positive indicator of a player's draft stock. However, history has shown that it does not guarantee a first-round selection. There have been instances where prospects fell to the second round while sitting in the green room, such as Bol Bol, Deyonta Davis, Nic Claxton, Maciej Lampe, and Rashard Lewis, among others.
Draft Details
For the first time, the NBA Draft will span two days. The first round will take place on June 26 at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, while the second round will be held on June 27 in lower Manhattan. This historic change in the draft's format introduces a new level of anticipation and strategy for teams and players alike.
There could be added 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, causing some last-minute anxiety for those involved. This time, the NBA seems to be taking steps to ensure a more organized and predictable invitation process.
All 12 players from the initial batch of invites are projected to be lottery picks, underscoring their talent and the league's belief in their future potential.
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 Dillingham 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 thus far. However, his ankle has recovered, and he plans on completing those requirements at the Lakers' practice facility on Friday, according to his agent, Lucas Newton of Klutch Sports.
Topic was found to have a partially torn ACL at the NBA Draft Combine in Treviso, Italy, last week. This discovery will likely create uncertainty around his draft stock until team doctors can fully evaluate the injury and decide on the best course of action regarding surgery and a subsequent recovery plan. The situation places Topic in a precarious position, raising questions about his immediate future in the NBA.
In summary, the initial batch of green room invitations marks an exciting milestone for the twelve players involved, all of whom are projected to be high draft picks. As the NBA Draft shifts to a two-day event for the first time, teams and players must navigate this new format with careful planning. The anticipation continues to build, not only for the next wave of green room invitations but also for the resolution of eligibility and injury concerns facing potential lottery picks like Rob Dillingham and Nikola Topic. As the draft approaches, the stakes have never been higher for these young athletes on the cusp of their professional careers.