The NBA announced a major change to the 2024 NBA Draft. Will the draft expand to two nights?
2024 NBA Draft Moves To Two-Night Format
NBA DRAFT 2024 PRESENTED BY STATE FARM EXPANDS TO TWO NIGHTS
The #NBADraft presented by State Farm will expand to a two-night format that features the first round on Wednesday, June 26 and the second round on Thursday, June 27. The first round will be held at Barclays Center in… pic.twitter.com/JdCMEUhqLJ
— NBA (@NBA) January 31, 2024
The 2024 NBA Draft will expand to a tw0-night format. The first round will be on Wednesday, June 26, and the second round on Thursday, June 27.
The first round will be held inside Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, while the second round will occur at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York.
ABC and ESPN will air the first round, while ESPN will broadcast the second round. Fans can watch both rounds on the ESPN app. Coverage begins both nights at 8 p.m. ET.
NBA Releases Statement On New NBA Draft Format
The following has been released by the NBA: pic.twitter.com/5uHzIVhVQK
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 31, 2024
Joe Dumars, an executive vice president and head of Basketball Operations, explained the league’s decision to move the draft to two nights.
“Based on feedback about the NBA Draft format from basketball executives around the league and my own experience in draft rooms, we believe that teams will benefit from being able to regroup between rounds and having additional time to make decisions during the second round,” said Dumars. “Two nights of primetime coverage will also enhance the viewing experience for our fans and further showcase the draftees.”
The draft has become one of the league’s most-watched programs all season. The 2023 NBA Draft was the NBA’s most-watched draft of all time across networks.
The decision to expand the draft into multiple nights has greatly benefited the NFL. In 2010, the NFL moved to a three-day draft: first round on Thursday, rounds two and three on Friday, and rounds four through seven on Saturday.
The NBA will look for similar success in their new two-night format.
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