NBA Draft 2024: Low on Hype, but High on Vibes [Video]

When discussing this year’s NBA draft, it feels right to begin with an honest acknowledgement. To borrow from Rick Pitino, Victor Wembanyama is not walking through that door. Anthony Davis is not walking through that door. LeBron James is not walking through that door. That is to say, there was no player whose arrival will change the entire fabric of the league, at least not right away.

While the night lacked the instant star power of a Wemby or LeBron, there were still moments that even someone who knows nothing about the NBA could appreciate. Three sets of teammates—Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham from the University of Kentucky, Stephon Castle and Donovan Clinganfrom the University of Connecticut, and Ron Holland II and Matas Buzelis from G League Ignite—were chosen in the top 11. That made for a lot of familiarity in the post-draft media room, where many of the daps seemed to produce a sonic …