The NBA Draft is rapidly approaching as 60 prospects begin the next step of their careers on June 23. But while many will try to make it big in the league, many will fail and have their careers cut short.
The very best of the best will be successful NBA players and we will get our first glimpse of them on Thursday at the draft. According to Jonathan Givony of The Vertical, the league has invited sixteen of these prospects to the draft. These players will have the opportunity to walk onto the stage and shake Adam Silver’s hand after the commissioner announces which team will be using their talents.
The full list according to Givony is: Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram, Wade Baldwin, Dragan Bender, Jaylen Brown, Marquese Chriss, Deyonta Davis, Kris Dunn, Henry Ellenson, Buddy Hield, Skal Labissiere, Dejounte Murray, Jamal Murray, Jakob Poeltl, Malachi Richardson, and Domantas Sabonis.
Givony reports that up to three more players may be added to this list.
In what is being called a two-man draft, Ingram and Simmons are the two most notable admissions to the party. The other prospect are a group of names who most have no real knowledge of. Where these players will ultimately be drafted is mostly a guessing game even for the experts.
One notable aspect of Givony’s report is that the number of prospects invited to the draft is much lower than the 20-25 of years past. This is most likely due to the draft class being a weak and unpredictable one.
Nevertheless, for the 16 to 19 players who will be present at the draft (and really for every single prospect who will be drafted in less than a week) this will be a special day. The NBA Draft will not be here soon enough for them.
