USA TODAY International Edition
Teams, prospects prepared for unique draft
The process once entailed NBA prospects shaking hands with executives. Then they performed in- person workouts before those same people. Before or after the workout, they dined while trying to show both their professionalism and their personality.
Leading up to this year’s NBA draft, the process has played out much differently. The routine has become similar to what most people have experienced since the coronavirus outbreak started.
“It’s been very, very unique with all the Zoom meetings,” said Aaron Nesmith, a sophomore forward from Vanderbilt. “I never used Zoom before in my life. Now I use it almost every day.” So do NBA teams.
Larry Harris, the Warriors assistant general manager and director of player personnel, said the front office has interviewed about 160 prospects virtually ever since the NCAA canceled its tournament in mid- March.
“There’s no one to blame here, but it isn’t what we normally would do,” Warriors GM Bob Myers said. “It makes it harder for everyone. It makes it harder for the players, agents, teams and medical personnel.”
That is because there are numerous safety restrictions.
Teams could watch up to 10 in- person workouts in the prospect’s home market, but those teams had no influence over what the workouts would entail. Teams also prioritized witnessing projected lottery picks complete their workouts over prospects projected to land later in the first or second round. Each team could bring up to four people to these workouts, three who work in basketball operations and one who works on the medical staff. Teams could collect the prospects’ medical records through the NBA. But they could not do as much as they could if the full training staff had access to prospects.
Although teams could interview and dine with prospects in person, they had to obey social distancing, mask- wearing and sanitary rules. They also lacked game footage to study from the NCAA Tournament, something Harris considered “significant.”
As for the prospects, some acknowledged the potential consequences of not having a chance to polish their résumé in the NCAA Tournament or the chance to further show their personality in person during interviews.
Once the NCAA canceled the tournament in March, prospects spent the ensuing weeks in quarantine without a chance to train in an actual facility. “That was probably the toughest thing,” said Isaac Okoro, Auburn’s freshman forward. “I’m a guy who always likes to work out. If I’m not working out, I feel like I’m lacking or I’m slacking.”
Since then, prospects created a more consistent routine.
Dayton sophomore forward Obi Toppin routinely lifted three days a week and scrimmaged against NBA players at a training facility in New Jersey. “Playing in games, I missed it a lot. But at the same time, I only feel like this is helping me,” he said. “I feel like I’m more mentally prepared.”
NBA front offices do not exactly feel the same way. They are also mindful that players are not in as good shape as they could be because of the circumstances. Front offices completed more virtual interviews, pored over more regular- season footage and talked to more coaches, trainers and others familiar with prospects.
Because of the virtual draft, the NBA has given 30 of the top prospects a gifting locker that includes hats of every NBA team so the prospect can wear the correct one when his name is called. Draft prospects also received media kits from the NBA and ESPN so they could join the remote broadcast.
“It’s a weird feeling to be on with the pandemic and getting drafted through Zoom. It’s kind of a bummer for us,” said Deni Avdija, who played for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. “We want to be there and experience it as players. What can do you do? The whole world is crazy right now.”