Player Invitations
Twelve players have received coveted invitations to attend the 2024 NBA Draft, earning a seat in the prestigious green room. This honor represents a significant achievement for these athletes as it precedes one of the largest moments in their basketball careers.
The initial batch of invites includes: 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 names were announced this Tuesday. Another 11-12 invitations are anticipated to be sent out in waves starting next week.
Green Room Details
The green room serves as a staging area situated in front of the NBA Draft podium. Here, players, their families, and agents await the moment when Commissioner Adam Silver announces their selection. This room is filled with anticipation and excitement, as it symbolizes the transition from amateur to professional status for these young talents.
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, providing them with an elite status among their peers. However, 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
In a departure from tradition, the NBA Draft will span two days this year. 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 new format might bring 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.
All 12 players from the initial batch of invites are projected to be lottery picks, adding to the prestige of their selection. Their inclusion in this exclusive group is a testament to their skill, hard work, and potential impact on the NBA.
Uninvited Projected Lottery Picks
Yet, not all projected lottery picks have received a green room invitation. Two notable absences 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 reportedly recovered, and he plans on completing those requirements at the Lakers' practice facility on Friday, according to his agent Lucas Newton of Klutch Sports.
On the other hand, 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. This situation illustrates the unpredictable nature of the draft process, where even top prospects can face setbacks that impact their future careers.
The anticipation for the 2024 NBA Draft continues to build as players and fans look forward to the upcoming events. With the invitation process well underway, the excitement surrounding which talents will step onto the NBA stage grows even stronger.