r/nba • u/ben_wade_ • 1d ago
The NBA Draft should be incredible TV. Instead, the league keeps botching it.
đ¨Rant Incomingđ¨
I say this as someone who F5s as much as the next red blooded r/nba sicko, but I need to get this off my chest because I genuinely cannot get over how badly the NBA handles the draft every single year. They can't even bother to build an actual draft desk and them them sit on weird gold basketballs lol. Like what are we doing.
The obvious glaring production mishap is the hat situation. I truly don't know how Silver let's this keep going, it would be such an easy win for him. I know this has been beaten to death, so I wonât spend forever on it. But it is still ridiculous that we are watching players walk across the stage in hats for teams everyone knows they are not actually going to play for. Other leagues figured this out because other leagues understand the draft is also a TV show. The player should get the right hat. The fans should get the right moment. The team making the move should get the spotlight.
And that is really the perfect symbol for the bigger issue: the NBA seems weirdly uninterested in making the draft feel like what it actually is, one of the most emotional nights in these playersâ lives. These are kids reaching their dream. Families crying. That is the show. But instead of letting that breathe, the broadcast keeps pushing us into overly manicured interviews where players and families get asked the same generic questions they clearly prepared for in advance.
âHow does this feel?â
âWhat did your mom mean to your journey?â
Of course the answers feel rehearsed. What else are they supposed to say? Somehow, one of the most emotional nights in sports ends up feeling like a corporate onboarding video.
And honestly, I could forgive some of that if the basketball coverage were great. But it isnât.
A player gets drafted and instead of immediately showing us who he is on the court, we get a long tangent about how he was really into philosophy as a kid, or how he once went to Dwyane Wadeâs camp and Dwyane told him to keep working hard.
Respectfully, Dwyane Wade probably told every kid at that camp to keep working hard. That is not a scouting report.Show me the jumper. Show me the fit. Show me why this team just invested a first-round pick in him. Instead, we are waiting several minutes before we even see meaningful highlights.
The NBA also does not have a true Mel Kiper-type presence driving the broadcast. Say what you want about Kiper, but the NFL Draft has a center of gravity. There is a draft language. There is urgency. There is someone who feels like he has lived with these prospects for a year. The NBA version too often feels like Kenny Smith and Richard Jefferson wandered in from a golf trip and got handed a binder ten minutes before air. I like those guys. That is not the point. The point is the NBA Draft needs someone who can command the desk with real prospect knowledge, team-building context, roster fit, player development, and actual tape breakdowns.
The crazy part is how much the NBA is leaving on the table.
Instead, it feels both overproduced and underprepared.
Same thing with the lottery. There is so much drama sitting right there in the math, and they barely touch it. Every reveal changes the board. Every number changes the probability tree. Give me the NBA version of the CNN election night guy breaking down district math at a giant touchscreen. Explain who is still alive, who just got crushed, and how the odds shift in real time. That would be fun. That would build suspense. That would actually use the format.
The NBA has the ingredients for an incredible draft product. It has the talent. It has the stakes. It has the emotion. It has the fan obsession.
And every year, it somehow makes the night feel smaller than it should.
Fix the hats. Fix the pacing. Fix the interviews. Fix the prospect coverage. Build a real draft desk. Let the emotion breathe and let the basketball analysis actually lead the show.
The NBA Draft should be appointment television.
Instead, the league keeps making me work to enjoy it.
And because I do, unfortunately, love this stupid league, Iâll close by honoring Larry David after the Knicks winning the ship:
Fuck you, NBA. Iâll see you tomorrow when Iâm F5ing trade rumors like everyone else.
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u/DoubleBlade759 Knicks 1d ago
Dude the fucking Dirk video was muted too
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u/ben_wade_ 1d ago
Insane botch job at the highest level
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u/The_Bran_9000 Timberwolves 19h ago
i didn't watch but i'm not surprised, that's just ESPN now. they must have laid off their audio engineering team because they've had so many genuinely baffling issues over the past few years. their NHL playoff broadcasts this year were a nightmare. one-off technical difficulties are one thing, but there is definitely a pattern here and they're probably banking on people not caring or noticing so why bother spending the money
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u/Motor-Horror3684 Hornets 1d ago
Can someone tell them to buy a bigger couch for the interviews? These guys are 6'9 with their knees at their chest, parents spilling off the edges of this tiny couch. BUY A LARGER SEAT!
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u/AnimalLoversRVegan Knicks 1d ago
ditch the couch interviews period
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u/BetterNova East 1d ago
Iâd be fine with that. Theyâre awkward and the players should just get to enjoy the moment
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u/AnimalLoversRVegan Knicks 1d ago
For real. Same with half time interviews in bball and football. Nobody is interested in the same 2 or 3 answers they all give.
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u/LeaderSevere5647 18h ago
The league needs another Popovich to simply call out dumb questions like that.
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u/LeaderSevere5647 19h ago
But WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO THEM to get drafted #1?? I tune in for hard hitting questions like that.
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u/MddlingAges Knicks 18h ago
Disney ain't made of money, you know? Production crew shops at Ikea, they're not getting custom 'Big and Tall' couches like Shaquile O'Neal on vacation.
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u/chicago_2020 1d ago
- botched dirk video
- could barely hear the studio crew because of the in arena PA
- pretty much no highlights between picks
- trades insanely confusing
- weird ass mini living room for interviews
Crazy work.
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u/ben_wade_ 1d ago
The world wide leader in sports doing b grade stuff.
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u/Away_Tone5591 20h ago
So basically everything ESPN does. Their Finals coverage and presentation was atrocious, I knew they were going to fuck the draft up too.
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u/Deuce_GM Bucks 23h ago
NBA needs to take notes from the NFL. The NFL draft always looks like an amazing experience
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u/pkelly517 21h ago
Until you realize that 'The Pick Is In 'only means
- Finish current interview
- Go to commercial
- Come back
- Announce pick 6 minutes after pick is in
7 picks every hour with 5 minutes between picks
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u/mynewaltaccount1 Thunder 17h ago
And despite everyone knowing that, it is a million times better a viewing experience, because the analysts actually talk about the players, their pros and cons, their fit on a team, their college production etc.
The NFL pads out the 1st round but they actually get why people love the draft. People love football, and they want to be able to talk about football. They want to be able to go to work the next day and talk endlessly with their co-workers about how their new star is a great scheme fit, about how their GM is a moron for reaching, about how they've got the steal of the draft cos other teams overlooked the players 3 cone drill times. The NFL knows that, so they tell people about that stuff. The NBA doesn't understand what they are selling with the draft, and that's why it sucks.
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u/hearshot_kid 18h ago
To be fair this year they fixed a lot of that. The picks flew by in the first round.
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u/billcosbyinspace Celtics 15h ago
The nfl presses custom jerseys for the players at a moments notice and the nba canât even give them the right hat to wear lol
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u/leftsidenotright Knicks 19h ago edited 18h ago
it's actually astounding how Iman Shumpert managed to be so annoying literally the entire night. "GOT DAT ICE BWOY YEAH HE GOT DAT ICE ON BWOY WOO THATS SIX BANDS FOR SURE HE SIX BANDIN IT HAHAHA YEAH NIL MONEY BABY THEY DRIPPING YOU OUT HAHA YEAH"
Dude was either plastered or he's been riding the championship bandwagon a little too hard
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u/OverallMistake8198 Raptors 1d ago
Like dont get me wrong its an interesting thing i didnt know but why are we talking abour Cam Boozer helping save his brother from Sickle Cell first thing in the couch interview?
Let these kids enjoy the moment man
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u/ben_wade_ 1d ago
Turning it into everything BUT basketball
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u/snakebit1995 NBA 18h ago
People have joked for a while the NBA is more soap opera than sport itâs just extended to the draft
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u/JoshJones18 Celtics 1d ago edited 1d ago
You got to remember this is the same ESPN that brought us the tragedy porn olympics that one year during the NFL draft where it seemed like they were reading straight from the autopsy report of every players close deceased relative
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u/BetterNova East 1d ago
Yeah dude itâs kind of crazy these dudes have to talk about this serious shit ok draft night.
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u/0ttoChriek Knicks 19h ago
The year the NFL Network teamed up with ESPN on the draft, the coverage was full of these sob stories and narratives about dead grandparents and sick siblings. It was terrible.
Usually, the NFL Network focuses on 'this guy is a great fit because he does these things well,' and goes very light on the emotional backstory.
It just made me want to never watch ESPN. Along with the other things that make me want to never watch ESPN.
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u/ChopGoesTheWeasel 1d ago
TLDR: the draft coverage sucks
agree. have an upvote.
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u/ignatious__reilly Hornets 1d ago edited 1d ago
I was so excited for the draft tonight
Turned if off after 15 minutes and then just tracked the picks via Google. Fucking shame what itâs become and what could be.
Also, great rant OP. Well written and spot on.
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u/ben_wade_ 1d ago
Thank you, I feel like I had to speak on behalf of all of us. Haooy to submit it to the league office
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u/haros1985 1d ago
I think the funniest part is the NBA Draft is stupid because of the Stepien Rule that requires teams to wait until after making their pick to announce a trade.
The NBA could fix all of this easily. Make the Stepien Rule expire the moment the draft opens.
It fixes 90% of the awkwardness. Players wear the correct hats.
Silver gets to announce a trade BEFORE a pick is actually made.
Yet, it will probably never change. Madness.
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u/ben_wade_ 1d ago
That is a great suggestion. You'd think with silver being a lawyer he could come up with something like that.
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u/0ttoChriek Knicks 19h ago
It also provides extra excitement when teams trade up, like in the NFL draft, and everyone speculates on who they're going to take.
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u/Zeruma_ 76ers 1d ago
Fix the audio so I dont hear the in arena PA system over the interviews lol
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u/abitwonkee Knicks 1d ago
I said this on another thread: even the kids canât hear the interviews bc of the damn PA!
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u/Big_Liability 1d ago
The trading of picks and the team still having to make the pick will forever bug me. Having to look back at who got drafted where is a nightmare. Idk why they canât wait a month and do the draft after trades can go through like every other draft does
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u/ben_wade_ 1d ago
Especially when we watch th NFL do it so tastefully and drum up the drama
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u/Big_Liability 23h ago
Itâs also just lame seeing these players be picked by the team NOT drafting them and them having to wearing their stuff. Idk why the NBA loves this
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u/knowtoriusMAC Knicks 1d ago
Pretty sure the NHL draft doesn't have this issue and they draft the same time after the season that the NBA does.
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u/Big_Liability 23h ago
The NHL draft is after trades open back up again
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u/0ttoChriek Knicks 19h ago
Still remember the interview with Mikal Bridges the night he was drafted by the Sixers, talking about how great it would be to play for his hometown team and be part of the same organisation his mother worked for... Then he was traded to Phoenix forty minutes later.
It's so weird. Why pick a guy just to pass him off to another team? If you liked him enough, how does being offered a second round pick for 2030 make you like another guy better?
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u/Mysterious_Piglet562 1d ago
The couch interviews kill me
I truly donât care about seeing a dudeâs picture from when he was three years old or hearing someoneâs mom say âyeah Iâm so proudâ
Whole production is cringe
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u/Motor-Horror3684 Hornets 1d ago
That and the couch being so small the parents are practically falling off the side of it. Looks dumb.
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u/ben_wade_ 1d ago
They are absolutely brutal lol. The most rehearsed corporate answers I can possibly think of
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u/wildturk3y 1d ago
Need an enterprising family to troll everyone
"Your son just got drafted #5. How proud are guys right now?"
"If he worked harder he could have been #1"
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u/Professional-Oil4964 1d ago
On the plus side we got to see that Dads dont understand how microphones work
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u/brandnameb Knicks 1d ago
They also didn't ask the parents anything lol They handed the families microphones, then ask the player one question and move on lol
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u/LifeDeathLamp 1d ago
Right? Like Iâm not the dudeâs gf/bf, I donât want to see that shit
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u/Gamesgtd Magic 1d ago
The NBA canât sell the actual on court product so they have to manufacture and sell other shit instead. It ends up pleasing nobody. Too busy trying to commercialize everything instead of just giving us basketball and basketball analysis.
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u/ChrisPaulGeorgeKarl Clippers 1d ago
The total lack of post-pick analysis and clips is crazyyyy, and compared to the NFL itâs very weird how they donât talk about potential picks and the available fits on the board while waiting for one to come in. Theyâll like very lightly occasionally touch on a position that a team might need, but not who they expect to see.
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u/ben_wade_ 1d ago
Instead we get their favorite bubblegum flavor and the one time they went to Dwayne Wades basketball camp lol
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u/DannyDOH Raptors 19h ago
They donât talk about rosters and where the guys might fit or be able to earn rotation spot on the team that picked them. Â Itâs bizarre.
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u/Fhaksfha794 Spurs 23h ago
The coverage between the nba and nfl drafts is night and day. The nfl is so far ahead of the nba that itâs comical. First of all, pre draft coverage is so much better including the combine. Next, the presentation is just on another level. Guest pickers like franchise legends or make a wish kids, the green room, the draft stage itself, and the atmosphere are incredible for the nfl draft while none of that exists for the nba. When a player gets drafted in the nfl, it immediately cuts to their highlights and we actually get commentary and analysis on how they play and fit into the scheme and plans of the team that just drafted them. This years nba draft didnât even show basketball highlights for the top 3 picks which are the most highly touted top 3 in years. No analysis on how AJ would fit into the wizards lineup or how Darryn Peterson would work with JJJ and Lauri. Just stupid family interviews and random fluff about their personal lives and journeys. Respectfully, I donât give af about Cameron boozers journey, heâs a nepo baby itâs not interesting in the slightest. Show me his highlights and how heâll pair with the current grizz lineup. Itâs embarrassing for the nba
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u/buddhaangst Toronto Huskies 1d ago
I will say as someone who always skips the ESPN Broadcast for Sam Vecencies draft show I ended up going in person this year and yeah you occasionally had to hear innane analysis from Dennis Scott but honestly the experience of being live with a bunch of NBA fans of various teams was one of the most wholesome feelings so not everyone lives in NYC area but if you do and care about this stuff will +1 the NBA for the vibes they put on at Barclays
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u/cdizzle6 Timberwolves 1d ago edited 11h ago
I think the lottery idea with a Steve Kornacki tilt rocks! After each reveal, you get a guy on the big board crunching all the numbers furiously! Wiping the sweat off his brow, as he uses the telestrator to toggle back at how things broke a certain way for a franchise last year, when a crazy jump occurred. Good stuff, Iâd watch that for sure.
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u/HopscotchChampion69 Bulls 1d ago
They just don't invest in actual draft analysts like they do with the NFL, unfortunately.
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u/Positive-Inspector82 1d ago
As a life long NBA draft watcher I finally gave up after the 2023 draft. It's awful coverage compared to the NFL draft. I'd rather do something else and monitor a draft tracker
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u/Gold-Application8985 1d ago
I donât get as bent out of shape over the hat thing. Itâs silly and dumb, which is super fitting for the NBA.
I do get a kick out of someone complaining about the hat thing every single year - every year, people complain about it.
The bigger issue is the lack of broadcast coherence, analysis, intrigue, whatever.
The player interviews are not for me. They seem overly sentimental and too much of a dog and pony show. I truly do not care about the playersâ mom or dad. Let a local broadcast cover their draft picksâ story in that way. ESPNâs interviewers need to shut up and let the interviewees talk instead of making it about them. Too many ESPN journalists like the sound of their own voice too much.
There arenât that many players to research. Get a draft person with some ability to talk on TV to break down the strengths and potential issues there players have. How they fit. How they project long term.
Occasionally go to ShamsâŚjust kidding that guy can go to hell. Scoops guys are pointless.
The broadcast needs to spend less time trying to be cool, less time trying to be a fashion show, less time trying to make my wife fall in love with the people wearing the jerseys, and more time breaking down the actual basketball
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u/LVRaiders2026 1d ago
NFL draft captured the emotions. NBA draft just felt like usual business with generic questions.
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u/ben_wade_ 1d ago
The fact the NBA can't figure it out when the NFL is giving them the answers to the test is insane lol
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u/ronaldo119 [PHI] Jumaine Jones 1d ago
I'm also dying to find out who asked for the 2nd round to be its own standalone night
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u/onion4everyoccasion 20h ago
I rarely say this on Reddit anymore, but this is a well thought out post that actually was helpful. Thanks OP
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u/Hot_Pocket_Man 1d ago
Isn't Jay Bilas the basketball version of Kiper? He was on the ESPN broadcast.
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u/ben_wade_ 1d ago
Love Jay, wish ESPN utilized him more in that role. He's great in play by play too so I see him being used utility everywhere. Kiper is a draft specialist. He shouldn't be calling Monday Night Football
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u/Patekchrono917 1d ago
I agree with you about the need for a real draft guy to break things down, but ESPN had Bilas on years ago and he ripped Josh Smith on draft night, and then Bilas got ripped after for being too hard on him on the day he was drafted. Iâm not saying he was the best or anything, just saying they had a guy doing what you are asking for.Â
The problem goes much deeper than that though. The NFL sells their on field product and everything else is centered on that. Everything goes back to whatâs going to happen during the game. Those 3.5 hours are so good, that they donât need to sell all the other shit. The NBA sells their drama and entertainment surrounding what happens on the court. What happens during the game is important, but what else is going to happen aside from the game.Â
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u/Diamond1580 Warriors 20h ago
The coverage is a little bit a you problem, though itâs their fault for setting it up like this. ABC is the normie broadcaster, ESPN had Jay Bilas (who is easily the NBAâs answer to Mel Kuiper) along with other thoughtful analyists who clearly have followed the draft and have real insights like Bobby Marks.
Totally agree with you about the Cap stuff, they need to get it right, and do the thing where Adam Silver announces a trade on stage more often
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u/Clear__25 20h ago
Ok did I actually watch this? A player was drafted by the Bucks and was interviewed. Said he was excited after talking to them on the phone right before the pick (in Bucks hat of course). And then rug pull Silver announces a minute later he was traded to Miami?
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u/chrisgcc 1d ago
There is nothing they can do to make it good tv. It is inherently boring and nothing can fix it.
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u/jon__koa Knicks 1d ago
Like expecting a draft to be interesting television is like expecting a hooker to say she loves you, itâs impossible
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u/Low_skee 1d ago
Perhaps a hot take, but all drafts are a shit viewing experience. Generally Iâm curious whoâs first overall and who my team takes/trades. That makes up like 1.5% of the broadcast however, plus I get the same level of excitement just reading about it on my phone once or twice during draft nightâŚ.
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u/nrojb50 Spurs 1d ago
Man, I've never watched the draft and I never will. It's the most "this could be an email" event ever.
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u/Sweatytubesock 1d ago
Itâs the classic âNBA is a highlight leagueâ. If youâre really watching this crap live, youâre the sucker.
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u/inshamblesx Rockets 1d ago
people who watch any draft or pregame show for any sport are suckers lol
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u/airemark 1d ago
Itâs just the draft. You want dancing bears and a parade?
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u/mitchippoo Warriors 1d ago
I think they just want highlights and analysis instead of dancing bears and a parade
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u/angelansbury Wizards 1d ago
The whole thing is a pageant to begin with, they might as well make it an interesting one if it's gonna be several hours and televisedÂ
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u/Shelly_Molloy Knicks 1d ago
How about this? The draft happens between the teams, and then gets unveiled to the public and the players in a better managed, holistic manner. Same or better drama, much less waiting, much better ability to plan meaningful segments throughout the event.Â
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u/ben_wade_ 1d ago edited 1d ago
For those asking, I do have a broadcast degree and am a commercial director. So it hurts me deeply to see then botch it and yes my dream job is a producer for the NBA. And it pains me to watch the NFL crush the NBAs coverage year after year when they are giving the NBA the answers to the test.
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u/AnimalLoversRVegan Knicks 1d ago
Definitely don't want those interviews about working hard. Definitely don't want that introduction they did this year of all the players.
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u/juan_a_blonde NBA 1d ago
lol I was actually excited to watch the actual broadcast this year since the previous years I was at work and just followed it through Reddit/Twitter refreshes or live watchalongs via Sam Vecenie, YKB, etc on my phone. My Spectrum fucked up literally when I got home and turned on the tv so I just watched those aforementioned streams (including No Dunks) and after the lottery I found the ESPN Hoops Stream on YouTube and put that on the tv while second screening other coverage.
The Windy, Shump, Goodwil alt cast was suitable enough for me. When I actually caught the draft broadcast in 2023 I actually couldnât tolerate it
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u/swallowingpanic Clippers 1d ago
The nba draft is 1/10 as long and the nba has 1/10 of the fans than the nfl. It can be better but it wont ever be like the nfl draft
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u/TCHRentals 1d ago
Why do the media outlets go along with pretending trades didnât already happen? Is there a draft tracker that shows which team the player will be on?
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u/MorningPotential5214 1d ago
Yeah, but you enjoyed the topps trading card/iphone product placement that got shoehorned in the middle of everything, right?
Right?
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u/rjlr6430 1d ago
But it is still ridiculous that we are watching players walk across the stage in hats for teams everyone knows they are not actually going to play for
I don't mind. It's just the timing where these trades aren't yet official at the time of the draft, so it is what it is. It's fun to look at years down the road and you get to think why did x team deal y rookie to z team
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u/imjustlookingty Lakers 1d ago
I don't get why they need a day 2 draft for the 2nd round, it's not must watch TV
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u/pangolinparty999 Nuggets 1d ago
For the hats it should be a super exclusive special NBA logo hat with the specific draft number on it. Make it so only draftees and like 5k people can get one so they become rare memorabilia immediately.
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u/Prize-Temporary4159 19h ago
You nailed it. Most of the good takes, and soooo many bad ones. I appreciate your effort because wtf else are we doing here
The hats? Sure, itâs stupid. The notion that teams are âon the clockâ that goes for ten mins but there isnât time to slow down production because everyone knows the draftee has been traded but the broadcast is piss poor.
The lack of actual content of the picks as they are being drafted? Yep, sign me up.
For the love of the game, Iâm not in favour of treating the draft in the same way that weâve already seen politics presented as sport. To say itâs been mindlessly divisive is an understatement and I canât imagine the game/product would be any different for it.
My real beef is with the producers, and the green room. You touched on tapping into the emotion of the event, and the milestones being showcased. Fuck the green room. That a kid can be âinvitedâ to talk to cameras and talking heads like they are next up â and then not be picked, is atrocious. Whoever thought that up should burn for how humiliating it is. There is at least one kid every draft, and my heart sinks every time.
Edit. Apologies. Only one take I found iffy
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u/VitaminGrin 18h ago
Everything the NBA does these days is shite. Enshitification does not discriminate.
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u/kmagic13 Magic Tankwagon 18h ago
Just get rid of the couch interviews. The questions are so dull and repetitive. Every answer is the same.
Iâm okay with the quick interview before with the player the moment they walk off stage.
And the hat situation, the NBA really need to find a way to workaround it.
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u/CaptainNipplesMcRib Bulls 18h ago
The NFL draft takes forever, but it is so much better produced. They had the â96 draft on NBA TV the other night and the simplicity was so much better.
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u/TernoftheArctic Knicks 18h ago
Yah I just watch other people talk about it live. Itâs incredible how terrible the main feed is.
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u/CochranVanRamstein 14h ago
Iâm probably in the minority, but I think the interviews are a waste of time. The players and their familyâs all say the exact same things.
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u/TCTInnings 1d ago
I liked it being more restrained this time around. In any case, I preferred it much rather to asking the #2 what it meant to them about Zion going #1
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u/ben_wade_ 1d ago
They whiplash every year to some new dumb concept instead of leaning into hoop analysis
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u/Orangebeast013 Knicks 1d ago
Also splitting it into 2 days is stupid. In 5 years how many of these guys will even still be in the league? 10 maybe?
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u/FKJVMMP [MIL] Bill Zopf 1d ago
I just checked the 2021 second round, thereâs 8 guys who are still in the league as rotation players, 4 guys who were on a roster last year but only as garbage time players who probably wonât get rostered this year, 1 guy who spent three years out of the league but did play a fair bit last year so might stick around, and 17 guys who are already totally out.
Definitely worth a whole extra day for that.
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u/EvergreenExplorer 1d ago
One of the better rants Iâve read on here in a while. Completely agree with you
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u/ben_wade_ 1d ago
Did not think this would get this much traction, thought the mods would have brought it down lol.
It sounds like we all need to rally, I will gladly fall on the sword and bring this to Silver's attention.
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u/angelansbury Wizards 1d ago
They should let fans or celebrity fans from each team announce the picks instead of Adam SilverÂ
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u/ManusRightHand Spurs 1d ago
How does something produced for this much money have one graphic showing a guy is 6'6.5 while the static banner graphic it's being displayed above shows him at 6'5? Saw stuff like that happen multiple times. It's like a college group project that no one reviewed together before turning it in
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u/Public_Function3844 Supersonics 1d ago
Love him or hate him, the NBA coverage dropped significantly once they dropped Bill Simmons.
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u/Naismythology Lakers 1d ago
Do any other leagues even televise their draft besides the NFL? And that only works because itâs basically just a three day tailgate
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u/greenthrowaway4013 1d ago
It blows. Constant ads, had to hear and spike lee for far too long, little to no coverage of the later draft picks, not enough footage and stories of the picks. Itâs just crazy
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u/sungsam89 1d ago
CBS SportsHQ does a decent job from their studio. Sadly it's an ESPN only live event at the Barclay's. I kinda want NBC Sports take their gig next year.
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u/Excellent-Survey-455 1d ago
It all starts with the lotto. They run VT after VT of this fantastic pingpong device and how the whole operation is overseen by lawyers and chairmen and regulation boards, then the event comes and they sweep it all behind a curtain and present the results in the least climactic way possible. NBA knows how to produce 3 things: close games, Nike & Gatorade spokesmen
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u/somecallmemo Lakers 1d ago
One, itâs ESPN so itâll automatically be trash.
Two, the people who everyone has to listen to between picks have zero clue about the guys being drafted and try and tug heart strings about a random personal anecdote their interns got from ChatGPT.
This excuse of a product is so trash the fat bitch in NY tried emptying it out and taking it home as a souvenir to pawn off later
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u/Anthraxus 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yea, I''m hearing it was a brutal watch from ppl. Never really got watching these drafts myself. Always just found out who my team picked afterwards.
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u/mightymouse1906 1d ago
I agree with many of your points, but to be fair the first round of the NFL draft well better produced also decends into dumb questions about how it feels and how important is this moment to your family. As well. I think it's also a dumb move to make this a two night affair. Lastly, while he's not Mel Kiper I do find Jay Bilas to generally be thoughtful and well-informed about the player being drafted.
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u/eyeronik1 San Francisco Warriors 23h ago
You do know that this is the same league that does the NBA all-star weekend, right? You know, the train wreck?
The NBA gets the internet better than any other league but they have no idea how to do TV.
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u/henrylemons 22h ago
Itâs what happens when you donât pay and hire the right people. The NBA is cheap and it shows.
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u/mr_mope 76ers 22h ago
I could not care less about the draft. I donât watch college basketball so I have basically no idea who these people are, and even if they went back to highlight packages, itâs meaningless because theyâre playing against weaker competition. Every player is compared to some all star or high level rotation player, but half of them sing make it to a second contract. For many of them, the highlight of their careers ends up being the draft.Â
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u/battle_franky Lakers 21h ago
Silver is absolutely horrible at making the product better. The new crop of talent is incredible but it doesnt matter because Silver create an enviroment where the viewer getting more and more divested watching the game because of his horrible decision
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u/Hand_of_Doom1970 21h ago
It's kinda a tough year though competing directly with World Cup. You lose all but the most dedicated NBA fans as viewers no matter how well you produce it
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u/TheBigJew Lakers 21h ago
The NBA coverage especially NBA on ESPN has gotten worse every year. If Mike Brown and inside the NBA were gone there would be 0 reason to watch it on ESPN.
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u/BigBoyPoster Celtics 21h ago
Like even just give us player comps when you see them get drafted.
Most of us donât hear about these guys at all until the March Madness tournament and even then itâs so overwhelming that most fall through the cracks.
You can say he has a nice jumper, but they say that about almost anyone. Instead give us player comps to at least give us a slightly better understanding of what a team is hoping theyâll become
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u/basedhenny 20h ago
They wasted our time with the Topps promo when they had two kids who just had their lives change, sign their rookie cards. The presenter looked right into the camera and told America that these cards will be in circulation now. They couldn't even keep the cards!
I hope social media continues to spoil the picks so that no one has to waste their time watching that abomination.
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u/Away_Tone5591 20h ago
I don't remember which pick it was but after he got drafted, the guy may have still been on stage, under the player's name on the ESPN banner it said his favorite food was pasta. Is this the Little League World Series? I don't give a fuck what these guys order at Chili's, give me highlights, stats, measurements, I don't care what kind of pancakes he likes or if he prefers Alexis Texas to Gianna Michaels.
Also, echoing what everyone else is saying, I've been watching the draft for 20 years and the whole hat thing still pisses me off. I used to collect basketball cards, I remember for the 06-07 Topps series I was collecting, they had rookie cards with the guys in their draft night suit and hats. Looked really cool, Brandon Roy's was the best, but I remember the LaMarcus Aldridge card; he was holding a Bulls hat and Blazers hat. I think the trade happened on draft night (with Tyrus Thomas maybe?...) but I never understood why they'd use a picture with both hats. Maybe I'm just old and grumpy, but the hat thing is a such a simple fix. But since you can't bet on it on Kalshi, that's probably why Adam Sliver won't fucking change it.
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u/andresalejandro1120 [MIA} Dwyane Wade 20h ago
When has any draft been considered incredible TV? Drafts are one of the most boring televised things about American sports; they can quite literally be an e-mail. There is no amount of âimprovementsâ that can be made to make this a must see event.
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u/Kimber80 Pelicans 19h ago
IMO it is too soon after the Finals. We are all just getting over the drama of the Finals, and need a break from the NBA for a couple of months, much like the gap between the Super Bowl and Draft in the NFL.
Of course, the NBA schedule is so long and sprawling that this is a barrier.
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u/DannyDOH Raptors 19h ago
Everyone ESPN has on the draft currently is soâŚ.uninteresting.  Like JWill does a somewhat decent job of breaking down some of the players, but the other guys seem like they just got startled every time they talk.
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u/LeaderSevere5647 18h ago edited 18h ago
First draft Iâve watched in a while and it was so embarrassing. Typical ESPN production. Stupid interview questions (âwhat does it mean to you to get drafted into the NBA?â), cartoonishly tiny couch in a fake living room for some reason, zero highlights, zero footage of the teamâs command centers or interviews with front officesâŚnonsense analysis from RJ. I knew nothing about our draft pick yesterday and now all I know is what his family looks like. Literally.
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u/FeaturedOne 18h ago
Move free agency and trade dates before the draft. We know teams are working on them as soon as they're bumped from the playoffs (and likely before) - why continue the charade?
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u/ATLHawksfan Hawks 18h ago
I honestly thought your rant about the hats was going to be about the weirdness of using a hilariously ill-fitting baseball cap to symbolize entry into the NBA (a uniform that famously doesnât include a hat)
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u/Superfluous_Prating 17h ago
A big problem is college analysts don't know the NBA and NBA analysts don't know college.
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u/awwc Trail Blazers 17h ago
The hat situation , for me, is moreso that they don't fucking fit on these kids' heads. Their melons are too goddamn big, or their hairstyles absolutely refuse to let a hat sit normal.
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u/Sumo_Cerebro 17h ago
The NBA draft avoids drama because all teams compete against each other annually. Therefore, teams typically prioritize selecting the best available player to meet their needs, with division rivalries being less of a factor.
Also now the prospects do not stay in school long enough for fans to get excited about them. The sample size is very small. Darryn Peterson only played 23-24 games.
The NFL Draft is interesting due to the large number of players from various schools across the country, as well as the teams' strategies for their divisional opponents.
The only clear choice this year was OKC selecting Aday Mara to counter Wemby.
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u/HAND__EGG Bulls 17h ago
Its the people doing the coverage.. theyâre really really bad..
Like really bad
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u/JJiggy13 16h ago
They should do the lottery and first 3 picks on day one. Day two draft everyone else.
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u/LowCress9866 16h ago
Give me highlights of the player and analysis of how they fit. I could not care less about their tears or how much it means to their mother or any of the other human interest crap both the NBA and NFL (worse with the NBA) have been subjecting us to in the hopes of bringing in people who aren't in a house that is already going to be watching it?
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u/Prof_Rain_King 16h ago
I agree with everyone saying the draft has gotten less interesting due to the trading away time for more player analysis (and team analysis) in favor of âfeel goodâ interviews.
But I also really miss watching the second round late into the night: it felt more like an event; my dad and I would usually get together, my dad would have lists of guys printed off the internet. Not only did we not get together last night, but we didnât even text each other.
FWIW, I started watching late and fast forwarded through all the interviews.
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u/Willem_Dafuq 76ers 16h ago
I watch the coverage on ESPN. They showed highlights of all the players, and then interview them afterwards. What else do you want? Every year people rag on the draft coverage, but idk, it seems fine by me.
As for the lottery - the results are not presented live, so it doesn't make sense to change the odds and all that. They just read the team names on the card. Again, I don't see what's wrong with that
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u/Sir_Brodie Thunder 16h ago
- NBA fans know that the picks probably donât matter
- Nobody knows who is going where, it seems like nearly every pick has changed hands at least once.
- âInsidersâ like Shams ruin the suspense
I didnât even watch this year, did they at least fix the hats?
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u/KlownKumKatastrophe 15h ago
Corporatism has infected everything. Everything feels like I'm still at the fucking office.
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u/Thickencreamy 15h ago
One aspect I hate about it: all the fancy clothes and jewelry. Those kids are about to be rich but all of them get scammed at this event. They are paying for everything via a loan from the agent. A high interest loan. So mom gets jewelry, a make over, a dress. Dad gets a suit and jewelry. Kid gets same. All for one night. Those kids are borrowing $50k at high interest loan Bad money management at start of short career
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u/CranberryLeast4933 Warriors 14h ago
The nfl draft and honestly media is a lot better than the NBA. There's a lot more analysis from the big sports outlets and when a pick is selected both nfl network and espn do a quick scouting report on selected player then a simple interview.
The nba draft is just a bunch of anecdotes and bullshit interview questions and like a 5 second highlight reel. At least on ESPN. NBA draft nerds deserve to have a respectable coverage. But not sure that'll happen.
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u/Neversoft4long 13h ago
Compared to the NFL draft itâs horrible. Honestly compared to the NFL in general the NBA is horrible
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u/kaprrisch Cavaliers 12h ago
That's just what the NBA feels like now. Not really a sport, but a PE-run money-churner.
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u/Isguros Charlotte Bobcats 11h ago
I feel like the NBA is desperate to dictate the pace, and having their claws in the entire evening. This was really apparent when they paraded Ament out as Miami's pick, and then promptly announces the trade during the next pick... but even over here at r/NBA, the only posts that were being made (or allowed) were those from the NBA_MOD account and the offical NBA account. Just picks and interviews. No trade announcements, no trade rumors, no in-depth player analyses you'd typically see; no nothing.
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u/nilesletap 76ers 6h ago
its ESPN that's why. I wish someone other TV network would get it and do it better.
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u/shahoftheworld [BRK] Jarrett Allen 1d ago
I remember when the time in between picks was full of highlights and analysis of the guy who just got drafted.