2025 NBA Draft Invitations: Who Will Be in the Spotlight?
A select group of thirteen players has received invitations to attend the highly anticipated 2025 NBA Draft, which will be held in New York. These prospects, who will have the privilege of waiting in the “green room”, represent the best of emerging talent in basketball.
The most promising player, Duke’s Cooper Flagg, tops the guest list. Alongside him are other outstanding talents:
- Dylan Harper
- Ace Bailey
- VJ Edgecombe
- Tre Johnson
- Khaman Maluach
- Jeremiah Fears
- Kon Knueppel
- Kasparas Jakucionis
- Egor Demin
- Carter Bryant
- Derik Queen
- Asa Newell
It is expected that eleven additional invitations will be sent in the coming days, further expanding the list of players who could be selected in the first round.
The meaning of the “Green Room”
The “green room” is a special area located in front of the draft stage, where players, their families, and agents anxiously await the announcement of their names by the NBA commissioner, Adam Silver. Each player has the possibility of inviting six people to share this special moment.
The guest selection process
The decision of who is invited to the NBA draft involves direct communication with the presidents or general managers of the teams with picks in the first round. Teams are asked to vote for the top 25 players they expect to hear their names called first. The main goal is to ensure that players do not have to wait too long in front of the national television audience.
A good omen, but not a guarantee
Receiving an invitation to the “green room” is generally a positive sign for a player’s draft prospects. However, it is important to note that in the past there have been cases of players who, despite being in the “green room”, have fallen to the second round.
The NBA draft, since last year, takes place over two days. This year’s first round will be held on June 25, and both rounds will take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
In the last mock draft, the thirteen players initially invited are projected to be selected in the lottery, with the exception of Newell from Georgia.
Noa Essengue is also projected to be in the top 10, he is currently competing in the playoffs with Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany, which could make it difficult for him to attend the draft. The fifth game of the German BBL finals is scheduled for June 26, the day after the first round of the draft.
