Most memorable NBA Draft moments ever
By Justin
Rashard Lewis alone in the green room, 1998
Typically, high-profile draft picks sit in a green room before their pick is announced, and they can then walk out to be greeted by the commissioner at the appropriate time. It can be embarrassing when one is stuck back there, however, like the last person chosen at a school dance. Rashard Lewis is the player synonymous for staying in the green room alone, as he slipped to the second round before being selected by the Seattle SuperSonics.
The draft is a long process for being on camera and around people for so long. Waiting makes things worse, and suffering through the entire first round does something awful to someone’s psyche. Lewis stated he slipped into the bathroom to cry at one point. He was 18 years-old, and this was a nationally televised process that would determine his future and a contract worth hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. There’s an alternative to this. Brandon Jennings decided to skip the green room and crash the stage four picks after he was drafted. Naturally, he also made headlines for skipping college and playing pro ball overseas.
Crashing the stage wasn’t new, however. Bill Simmons noted Samuel Dalembert emerging from the crowd back in 2001 along with Tony Parker, and it was repeated by Sasha Pavlovic in 2003, Sasha Vujacic in 2008, and Christian Eyenga in 2009, which you can actually see here (et al.) Jennings was different in that he made a semi-official entrance, and it was well after he was picked.
Alas, the NBA draft is a graveyard of dreams, and Jennings has not become a standout player, except for that brief explosion of 55 points. Unlike Kevin Garnett, who ushered in an era of high school stars, there’s been no wave of high school American kids heading to Europe or elsewhere, save for Emmanuel Mudiay in China and a few lower profile guys. But Jennings made quite a (late) entrance. Rashard Lewis, thankfully, recovered from the embarrassment of draft night and became one of the few all-stars taken in the second round. But we’ll never forget the green room.
Next: Bruno Caboclo is two years away from being two years away, 2014