Sources have revealed that invitations have been extended to 19 players to attend the 2023 NBA draft and sit in the green room. The first ten invitations were sent out over the weekend and included Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson, Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, Cameron Whitmore, Jarace Walker, Anthony Black, Taylor Hendricks, and Gradey Dick. The remaining nine invitations were sent on Tuesday to Bilal Coulibaly, Cason Wallace, Nick Smith, Dereck Lively II, Kobe Bufkin, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Jett Howard, Jordan Hawkins, and Keyonte George. All 19 players invited are among the top 19 prospects in the ESPN Top 100 ranking.
Expected Invitations for Additional Players
Sources have also revealed that four or five additional players are expected to receive invitations in the coming days. The green room is a staging area in front of the NBA draft podium where players, families, and agents await commissioner Adam Silver to call out a player’s name upon selection.
Changes in the Draft Process
This year, players will be allowed to invite ten people with them to sit at their individual tables, up from five in previous years. The process of deciding whom to invite to the NBA draft involves communication with presidents or general managers of teams picking throughout the first round. Teams are asked to vote on the top 25 players they expect to hear their names called first. This is to ensure players aren’t sitting for very long before a national television audience as the second round approaches.
Invitations as Positive Signs for Draft Stock
Receiving an invitation to attend the NBA draft and sit in the green room is considered a positive sign for a player’s draft stock. However, there have been instances in the past where prospects have fallen to the second round while sitting in the green room, such as Bol Bol, Deyonta Davis, Nic Claxton, Maciej Lampe, and Rashard Lewis. Jaden Hardy was also selected No. 37 last year despite being one of 25 players invited to the green room.
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