Player Invitations
Twelve players have received coveted invitations to attend the 2024 NBA Draft, earning a seat in the prestigious green room. The first batch of 12 invites dispatched this Tuesday includes some of the most promising talents set to enter the league. These players are 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 11-12 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 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. However, history has shown that this isn't a guarantee of a first-round selection. Notable examples of players who fell to the second round while sitting in the green room include Bol Bol, Deyonta Davis, Nic Claxton, Maciej Lampe, and Rashard Lewis.
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 may add 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. The significance of these invites cannot be understated, as being selected as a lottery pick often comes with higher expectations as well as a greater financial incentive.
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. 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 young guard’s journey to the NBA might face significant hurdles, but his talent remains undeniable.
The green room experience is highly anticipated and filled with emotion for the players and their families. As the draft approaches, the anticipation only heightens. Teams will meticulously analyze the players’ performances, medical reports, and overall profiles to make the best selections for their franchises. These initial 12 players have taken the first step towards what many hope will be long and prosperous NBA careers.
Whether or not all the lottery projections hold true remains to be seen. The nature of the NBA Draft is such that surprises are always bound to happen. Both seasoned analysts and fans alike understand that the NBA Draft is often just the beginning of a much longer journey for these young athletes.
The days leading up to the draft will undoubtedly be filled with final evaluations, team interviews, and perhaps even some last-minute workouts. By the time Commissioner Adam Silver steps up to the podium, the future of these young men will be irrevocably changed. They stand on the precipice of their dreams, and for the first batch of 12, their path to the NBA begins now in the green room.