For the seventh straight year, the NBA Draft will be held at Barclays Center, with television coverage beginning at 7 p.m. on ESPN and the draft beginning at 7:30 p.m.
FIRST UP
The New Orleans Pelicans have the first pick in tonight’s draft after making a big jump at the draft lottery. They’ll be followed by Memphis and New York. The Los Angeles Lakers will select fourth, with that pick widely reported to be headed to New Orleans as part of a blockbuster deal for Anthony Davis. Duke freshman Zion Williamson is the presumptive No. 1 pick, with his teammate R.J. Barrett and Murray State’s JA Morant widely expected to be selected in the following two slots. A third Duke freshman, Cam Reddish, is also in the top 10 mix, along with Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter and Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver
They are among 20 players reported to be expected in attendance at the draft in the green room. Others include Vanderbilt’s Darius Garland, North Carolina’s Coby White and Nassir Little, Gonzaga’s Rui Hachimora and Brandon Clarke, Indiana’s Romeo Langford, Kentucky’s P.J. Washington, Tyler Herro and Keldon Johnson, and international prospects Sekou Doumbouya and Goga Bitadze.
NBA DRAFT … BACK IN BROOKLYN
This will be the seventh straight year that the NBA Draft is held at Barclays Center. The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Anthony Bennett of UNLV with the first draft pick ever announced at Barclays Center. Bennett was one of five 2013 first-round picks that would eventually play for the Nets, including Mason Plumlee, chosen at No. 22 to become the first Brooklyn Net drafted at Barclays Center.
Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns, Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz, and DeAndre Ayton have been the subsequent No. 1 overall picks at Barclays Center.
NETS PICKS WERE HOME AT BARCLAYS CENTER
Last June, Dzanan Musa and Rodions Kurucs became the latest Nets to be welcomed to the NBA on draft night at Barclays Center. Musa, a 19-year-old selected No. 29, spent much of his rookie season in the G League, helping Long Island to the Eastern Conference championship and a spot in the league finals. Kurucs, a 20-year-old selected No. 40, made a surprise impact in Brooklyn, starting 46 games for the Nets and averaging 8.5 points, earning a spot in the Rising Stars game at All-Star Weekend.
Kurucs was joined in Charlotte for the Rising Stars game by center Jarrett Allen, the team’s first-round selection in 2017. Allen, 19 at the time, propped a Nets cap atop his ‘fro for the handshake with commissioner Adam Silver.
AND THE NETS SELECT …
In surveying mock drafts, there are several players who have been consistently projected to land in Brooklyn. You can click on their names below to check out our profiles of them:
WHAT’S THE HISTORY WHERE THE NETS PICK?
Just taking a look at the last decade, there’s been plenty of value found late in the first round.
At No. 27, if you go back to 2009 you’ll find Brooklyn’s own DeMarre Carroll. Center Rudy Gobert, the 2017-18 Defensive Player of the Year, a three-time All-Defensive Team selection and two-time All-NBA pick, was Utah’s selection in 2013, and Toronto’s Pascal Siakam was taken in 2016. There’s also Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers (2017), Larry Nance Jr. of the Cleveland Cavaliers (2015) and Bogdan Bogdanovic of the Sacramento Kings.
At No. 31, there’s Allen Crabbe, drafted in 2013, while Cleveland’s Cedi Osman was drafted in 2015, made his NBA debut in 2017, and played in the Rising Stars game this season. There’s also former Net Bojan Bogdanovic, now with the Indiana Pacers.
Going back another 30 seasons, some of the top picks at these spots are No. 27 selections Arron Afflalo (2007), Kendrick Perkins (2203), current Nets assistant coach Jacque Vaughn (1997), Elden Campbell (1990) and Dennis Rodman (1986) and No. 31 selections Gilbert Arenas (1991), Manute Bol (1985) and Doc Rivers (1983).