Player Invitations
Twelve players have received coveted invitations to attend the 2024 NBA Draft, earning a seat in the prestigious green room. Among the fortunate recipients of these invitations 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. The initial set of 12 invites were dispatched this Tuesday, signaling the start of what is expected to be an exhilarating draft season. 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 viewed as a positive indicator of a player's draft stock. 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, Rashard Lewis, and 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 introduces an additional layer of complexity, with the potential for added scrutiny over the final set of players invited to the green room. The aim is 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 considerable anxiety for those on the cusp.
All 12 players from the initial batch of invites are projected to be lottery picks, highlighting the high expectations placed upon these young athletes. However, the draft process remains unpredictable, and surprises can always occur.
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.
Meanwhile, 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. With the draft quickly approaching, both players face a race against time to solidify their positions and reassure interested teams of their readiness.
The green room offers a glimpse into the life's most hopeful moments for aspiring NBA players. Yet, it also serves as a reminder of the uncertainties and pressures that accompany the journey to professional basketball. For these young talents, the invitation to the green room is just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting and challenging pathway to NBA stardom.