Ann Killion: Draft night not like it was in old days

Remember when the NBA draft was the highlight of the year for the Golden State Warriors? When they entered with hope, picked high, screwed it up, and we had to wait a full year for something big to happen again to the franchise?

The Warriors do a few more important things these days than draft a tall young man in June and burden him with all their hopes and dreams. They win championships, sign

superstars, hand out rings, throw massive parades.

They’re such a different creature now that the mere mention of the Warriors franchise by Commissioner Adam Silver on draft night inspired boos from the crowd at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

That is a much different draft night experience than the sarcastic laughter the team used to inspire, with top picks like Todd Fuller and Andris Biedrins.

Still, even though times have changed, the draft remains important. It is critical to the Warriors’ future, to their ability to sustain this window of brilliance, to the front office’s hopes of figuring out the finances.

On Thursday night, the player who head coach Steve Kerr consistently referred to as The Draft Pick whenever he spoke about the future got a real name.

Jacob Evans III is a 6foot-6 wing player out of Cincinnati, where he played three seasons. He has a 6foot-9 wingspan, is athletic, with quick hands, and is described as a hard worker and extremely smart by his college coaches. He grew up in Baton Rouge, La., the son of Theresa Chatman-Evans, who played point guard at Grambling.

After the pick was made, Kerr made the phone call to Evans. He said, “I want you to talk to your teammate,” and handed the phone to Draymond Green.

Thus begins the process for next season, which Kerr has said will be all about the young players. He wants veterans to mentor the young players, giving them responsibilities that will — hopefully — help the vets battle the lethargy and distraction that

plagued them during the past season.

General manager Bob Myers, who worked out Evans twice and went to see him play in Cincinnati, described him as “serious,” “solid,” and “all business.” The Warriors liked his game, his defensive ability and his attitude.

Kerr, who has never been shy about giving young players responsibility, needs a player who can play right away.

“I don’t think Steve’s going to have a problem putting him out there,” Myers said.

The Warriors need a more balanced roster, after their season with a center-heavy bench. A wing player is what today’s NBA — and the Warriors’ roster in particular — requires.

“It used to be the most devalued position in the league,” Myers said. “And now it attracts the most attention.”

The Warriors tried to buy a second-round pick, as they’ve done the past two years. Myers described them

“It used to be the most devalued position in the league. And now it attracts the most attention.” Bob Myers, Warriors general manager, on drafting a wing player

as “aggressive.” But they didn’t pull it off. Maybe they didn’t find value. Or maybe teams don’t want to deal with the Warriors these days. They might not boo them like the Barclays Center fans, but the rest of the league is very, very wary of the dominant Warriors.

Draft night is also a good time to remember how this “Super team” was built. Not through a bunch of free agents getting together and deciding to play together, like has happened in the past and may happen this summer, but largely through the draft.

Stephen Curry was drafted at No. 7 in 2009. Two years later, Klay Thompson went at No. 11. The next year, Green was selected in the second round at No. 35. The teams and fan bases moaning about the Warriors destroying the NBA all could have had their teams choose Curry or Thompson, and they all definitely passed on Green.

So, even though it’s mostly filler pieces who the Warriors are selecting these days, the draft is an important event. It’s just now it’s one of many, as Evans found out during his first workout with the Warriors.

He walked out of the Warriors facility to see what was happening. That day more than a million people dressed in Warriors gear were in downtown Oakland to celebrate the new championship.

“It definitely psyched my mind out,” Evans told reporters.

For those of us who remember those dreary draft nights of the past, us too, Jacob. Us too.