Player Invitations
Twelve rising basketball stars have received prestigious invitations to the 2024 NBA Draft, securing their places in the coveted green room.
The first group of invitees 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 invitations were dispatched this Tuesday, marking the beginning of the draft excitement.
Another 11-12 invitations are anticipated to be sent out in waves starting next week.
Green Room Details
The green room is a special area situated in front of the NBA Draft podium where players, their families, and agents wait for 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 considered a positive indicator of a player's draft stock. However, it's not a guarantee of a first-round selection. Instances exist 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
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 new format could subject the final set of invited players to added scrutiny, 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. Currently, all 12 players from the initial batch of invites are projected to be lottery picks.
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 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.
Meanwhile, Serbian point guard Nikola 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.
In conclusion, the initial batch of 12 players invited to the green room for the 2024 NBA Draft reflects a significant milestone in their budding careers. As the draft approaches, their potential selections will be watched with eager anticipation, with the unique two-day format adding an extra layer of excitement to this year's proceedings.