Player Invitations
Twelve players have received coveted invitations to attend the 2024 NBA Draft, earning a seat in the prestigious green room. This year's first batch of invites, dispatched on Tuesday, 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.
Another 11-12 invitations are anticipated to be sent out in waves starting next week, as the NBA continues its preparations for the monumental event.
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 ten allowed last year. The invitation to the green room is generally seen as a positive indicator of a player's draft stock.
Historically, there have been instances where highly-touted prospects found themselves anxiously waiting in the green room far longer than anticipated, eventually falling to the second round. Notable examples 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 follow on June 27 in lower Manhattan. With the event extending over two days, there could be increased scrutiny over the final set of players invited to the green room, aiming to avoid a scenario where an invited player and their family have to wait an extra day to hear their name called.
The final batch of invitations last year was only sent out two days before the draft. However, in a testament to their strong performances and the high opinions of scouts and analysts, all twelve players from the initial batch of invites are projected to be lottery picks.
Uninvited Projected Lottery Picks
Despite the early list of invitees, there are still a couple of projected lottery picks who have yet to receive an invitation to the green room. Notably missing 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. According to his agent Lucas Newton of Klutch Sports, his ankle has since recovered, and he plans on completing those requirements at the Lakers' practice facility on Friday.
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.
As the draft approaches, the statuses of both Dillingham and Topic remain key points of interest. Prospective teams will closely monitor their situations, especially given their potential as lottery picks. Whether they receive green room invitations will likely depend on how these developments unfold in the coming days.
In conclusion, the initial wave of invitations to the 2024 NBA Draft green room reflects the anticipation and excitement surrounding this year's top prospects. While the journey to the NBA is undoubtedly nerve-wracking, the honors and opportunities along the way, such as the green room invitation, signify a crucial step closer to realizing their professional dreams. Despite some uncertainties and last-minute evaluations, the draft promises to be an eventful and celebrated milestone for all involved.