NEW YORK — For the primary time in its historical past, the NBA turned its annual draft right into a two-day affair this 12 months. Prospects chosen within the first spherical had the chance to shake NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s hand at Barclays Heart in Brooklyn on Wednesday night time. In the meantime, prospects chosen within the second spherical had the chance to shake deputy commissioner Mark Tatum’s hand at ESPN’s South Avenue Seaport studios the following day.
Ten prospects got here to the Seaport and sat within the inexperienced room, not together with the headliner, Bronny James, who declined an invite. Certainly one of them, Oso Ighodaro, a middle out of Marquette, had been notably busy for the previous few days, as he had a last-minute exercise in Brooklyn.
“I received to New York, labored out for the Nets after which got here and did all of the media stuff the day earlier than [the first round],” Ighodaro, who was chosen No. 40 and can be a part of his hometown Phoenix Suns, mentioned. “Wednesday, did extra media, received to the draft and was there till nearly 11, 11:30. After which did all of it once more at this time. Bought prepared, got here right here they usually had this occasion for us.”
Harrison Ingram, a wing out of North Carolina, and Jaylen Wells, a wing out of Washington State, had additionally gone gone to Barclays on Wednesday. Ingram mentioned he’d determined to attend no matter his draft inventory as a result of he is an NBA fan and had by no means been to the occasion in individual. Wells mentioned that “my mother, my little cousin, my dad, [my agent], my aunt [and] my different cousin” had all accompanied him on each days. After the primary 30 picks have been made, they went “again to the resort,” Wells mentioned. “We have been exhausted. We received some meals and went straight to sleep.”
Wells, who was chosen No. 39 by the Memphis Grizzlies, introduced two fits with him, so he may put on one thing totally different if he went undrafted on Wednesday. “After which I used to be like, ‘I simply love this one a lot,’ so I used to be like, ‘I gotta put on it once more,'” he mentioned. Ingram stored most of his outfit the identical for Spherical 2, however determined that his Spherical 1 socks have been unfortunate.
“Every part was the identical however my socks,” Ingram, who was chosen No. 48 by the San Antonio Spurs, mentioned.
Adem Bona, a Nigerian heart out of UCLA didn’t go to Barclays, however mentioned that “the 2 days form of makes it extra aggravating. If it is someday, back-to-back, I am like, ‘All proper, I am getting my identify referred to as at this time regardless.'” He felt “extra protected and safe,” although, due to who was with him.
“I’ve my household right here,” Bona mentioned. “My instant household could not make it. My mother, siblings could not make it. However my aunt, my uncle, my cousins from Canada, I’ve my girlfriend, I’ve my host household. I’ve a very good group of individuals right here.”
Bona added: “Both at this time or yesterday, if my identify wasn’t referred to as, they’d nonetheless assist me.”
After the Philadelphia 76ers chosen Bona with the No. 41 choose, his stress was changed by an infinite smile. Requested what he was enthusiastic about being drafted particularly by the Sixers, he mentioned, “Every part is thrilling.” He needs to get to work together with his new group as quickly as potential.
“I am simply so excited to be there,” Bona mentioned. “Truly, my older brother is a Philly fan. He is actually excited proper now, in all probability. He is again residence in Nigeria watching. I am unable to wait to get there, man. I am additionally getting the chance to fulfill Joel Embiid.”
Bobi Klintman, a Swedish ahead who spent final season with the Cairns Taipans of the Australian NBL, described the final 24-48 hours as “hectic.”
“It has been quite a bit,” Klintman, the No. 37 choose and latest member of the Detroit Pistons, mentioned. “Simply speaking to my agent, him speaking to different groups about what I used to be going to do. Ended up in Detroit, and I am actually pleased about that. I really feel like I can are available in and assist them get somewhat burst.”
When he heard his identify referred to as on the Seaport, “it was unbelievable,” Klintman mentioned. “I did not don’t have any phrases. I did not know what to really feel. Like, I used to be attempting to carry my tears in. I used to be actually pleased. Sharing the second with the household, too, was big-time.”
Cam Christie, the wing out of Minnesota, was notably pleased to be drafted No. 46 by the Los Angeles Clippers. Which means that he can dwell together with his brother, Max, who performs for the Los Angeles Lakers.
“It is actually onerous to even put in phrases, actually,” Christie mentioned, noting that it’s “extraordinarily uncommon that two brothers are ever within the NBA, not to mention have them in the very same metropolis. So it is tremendous dope. We’re actually shut, clearly.”
Christie didn’t work out for the Clippers, however he interviewed with them on the draft mix in Chicago in Might. He and Max are “extraordinarily shut” and “discuss each single day,” so they’d mentioned the likelihood, nevertheless distant, of residing beneath one roof as NBA gamers.
“It positively got here up a number of instances,” Christie mentioned.
Max was not within the inexperienced room on Thursday, however he was within the constructing. “He is over there within the household room, truly,” Christie mentioned, nonetheless seemingly in disbelief over how the draft performed out.
“The truth that it truly occurred—we by no means actually thought it could occur, so it is tremendous cool,” Christie mentioned.
The draft started at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, and it solely completed about 22½ hours later. For individuals who had their names referred to as on Thursday, it was a tense time … till it wasn’t.
“Clearly it is quite a lot of nerves,” Christie mentioned. “You do not actually know what is going on to occur. You do not know when you are going to get referred to as, who’s going to draft you, that form of factor. However I believe as soon as I received that decision, it form of all simply went away.”