Player Invitations
Twelve players have received coveted invitations to attend the 2024 NBA Draft, earning a seat in the prestigious green room. The initial batch of 12 invites was dispatched this Tuesday, with the following players confirmed:
- Zaccharie Risacher
- Alex Sarr
- Donovan Clingan
- Reed Sheppard
- Matas Buzelis
- Stephon Castle
- Dalton Knecht
- Tidjane Salaun
- Ron Holland
- Cody Williams
- Devin Carter
- Ja'Kobe Walter
Another 11 to 12 invitations are anticipated to be sent out in waves starting next week, potentially expanding this elite group of invitees.
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, there have been instances where highly-touted 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.
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 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, creating last-minute anxieties for some prospects. Notably, all 12 players from the initial batch of invites this year are projected to be lottery picks, which should provide some peace of mind.
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. According to his agent Lucas Newton of Klutch Sports, Dillingham's ankle has recovered, and he plans on completing those requirements at the Lakers' practice facility on Friday.
Meanwhile, 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.
As the NBA Draft approaches, the initial list of green room invitees provides insight into which players are highly valued by league executives. The subsequent waves of invitations, along with the final decisions on currently uninvited prospects like Dillingham and Topic, will further clarify the landscape leading up to the two-day event. Enthusiasts and analysts alike will be closely monitoring these developments as draft night promises to deliver unforgettable moments for the chosen players and their supporters.