Player Invitations
The anticipation leading up to the 2024 NBA Draft has reached a fever pitch as twelve players have received the coveted invitations to attend the event, earning a seat in the prestigious green room.
Among the select group 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. These invitations, dispatched this past Tuesday, represent the initial batch of 12 invitees. Additional waves comprising another 11-12 invitations are expected to be sent out starting next week.
Green Room Details
The green room serves as a high-profile staging area situated in front of the NBA Draft podium. It is here that players, along with 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 ten 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 is not always a guarantee. There have been instances where prospects, despite their presence in the green room, fell to the second round. 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 add a layer of scrutiny over the final set of players invited to the green room, potentially aiming to avoid a situation where an invited player and their family have to endure an extra day of waiting to hear their name called.
Last year, the final batch of invitations was not sent out until two days before the draft, adding to the anxiety and anticipation for many. This year, all 12 players from the initial batch of invites are projected to be lottery picks, indicating a strong selection lineup.
Uninvited Projected Lottery Picks
Despite the excitement surrounding the first batch of invitations, two projected lottery picks have yet to receive their invites. Kentucky's Rob Dillingham and Serbian point guard Nikola Topic still await their place in the green room.
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 him 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, on the other hand, 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.
Conclusion
As the NBA Draft approaches, the race toward securing a place in the green room is heating up. The 12 players from the first batch of invitations are all projected to be lottery picks, already generating significant buzz. Meanwhile, prospects like Rob Dillingham and Nikola Topic are working hard to recover from injuries and fulfill eligibility requirements to solidify their positions in the draft. The new two-day draft format adds an extra level of anticipation and scrutiny, promising yet another thrilling chapter in NBA Draft history.