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The typical pre-draft process for a prospect can be a challenging experience in a typical year. From grueling training schedules to private workouts, players are constantly coming and going in hopes of hearing their names called on draft night.
Of course, the process this year, in particular, is different than any player has previously experienced. The coronavirus pandemic has completely shifted things around and prospects now are all-too-familiar with Zoom meetings, and even application-based workouts.
So, picture this: You are an NBA Draft prospect in 2020. You just completed a grueling, and oftentimes uncertain, eight-plus month process to impress a team, hopefully, enough to hear your name called. You have talked to all of the teams, have done all the workouts…
But what happens on the day of the draft and beyond?
Wednesday marks the end of the process with the culmination of the 2020 NBA Draft by nightfall. A typical draft day for a prospect can be a bit hectic, so how does a player prepare for such uncertainty and how do they know what to expect?
Fear not, NBA prospect, the league is there to help walk you through the day of the draft and what will happen next. A given player likely hasn’t thought about the minutiae of draft day so the NBA helps prepare players in the days and weeks ahead of time.
The efforts tipped off in September when prospects took part in the 2020 Draft Combine Education Program with NBA Player Development. The league office gave the players an overview of resources, content and learning opportunities available to them throughout the draft combine.
“The primary goal of the NBA player development department is to help the players successfully navigate what we call the transition,” said Greg Taylor, the NBA senior vice president of player development.
Clearly, coming from playing overseas or college into the NBA is one of the most significant transition points our guys will take. We also want to introduce them to NBA player development staff and really, most importantly, let them know there is a whole range of resources available to them that as they go through this amazing moment that we’re here for them over time.
Last week, prospects met with league staff who outlined what their schedule in the days ahead would entail. Executives shared various schedules, media obligations and expectations as draft preparation ramped up and players also took part in a media training event.
The training over the past several weeks, off of the court, has led the prospects to the day of the actual draft. Players often have a rollercoaster full of emotions throughout the day as they finalize preparations for the biggest day of their lives.
“[The day of the draft] is a whirlwind,” Taylor said. “They will do a number of media opportunities. They will, obviously, spend time prepping for the day. What we’ve tried to do over the touchpoints over the previous month has led up to manage this opportunity.”
Of course, the prospects are the ones ultimately participating in the day-to-day process of playing in the NBA but the league also helps prepare their families for the next step. On Tuesday, the parents of Chris Paul, and the mother of Jaylen Brown, were among the family members to help walk prospects and their families through what lies ahead in the future.
Generally, families just want to know how to best support their sons during the transition to the NBA. The majority of the questions families posed during the meeting were basic, which include, but are not limited to:
- What can we expect?
- How can we be as supportive as possible?
- How do we help them set up in the new cities?
- How do we help them to get settled?
In addition to the family members of players, Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum and Philadelphia 76ers forward Matisse Thybulle spoke to the draftees and their families to answer questions on the overall draft process.
The NBA will typically bring in a veteran player and a recent rookie to speak with incoming prospects and the group this year responded very well to McCollum and Thybulle. The meeting even had to be cut off because it ran well over the allotted time.
“I really want to commend this year’s draft class for having really thoughtful questions and Matisse and C.J. for being so open,” Taylor said. “I think the guys had a lot of very practical questions like, ‘What happens on draft night? How do I develop relationships with veterans on the team? What can I expect? How did you navigate finding your way of living in a new city?
I thought Matisse and C.J. were particularly open and direct. I think it was incredibly well-received by all the players. Matisse is just an articulate, wide-open, honest communicator of information. We were happy to have him because he was in their seat a year ago.
The pre-draft process may be officially wrapped up but the work doesn’t stop on Wednesday. The NBA will continue to provide resources for the players throughout the season. In a typical season, the league would host the Rookie Transition Program but due to the coronavirus, the annual event has been postponed until a later date.
Between each available program and resource, the NBA has made a great commitment to ensuring players receive the best possible opportunity to have a long and successful career in the league, even during a pandemic.
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