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All posts by Andrew MorganThe NBA draft is an opportunity for young and international players to sign for a professional NBA team.
Since 1989, the NBA draft has included two rounds. It takes around three hours to complete and is broadcast on live television. The NBA draft has contained different numbers of rounds in the past.
How Many Rounds Are There in the NBA Draft?
The NBA draft consists of two rounds. Each of the 30 participating teams gets one pick per round. There are 60 players available and so each team gets the chance to sign two new NBA players.
It has been this way since 1989. Before then, teams were allowed to make as many selections as they liked. However, this once led to 21-round drafts in 1960 and 1968.
How Does the NBA Draft Process Function?
Teams take turns picking from the selection of players who have declared themselves for the draft.
There are two rounds and each team gets one pick per round. However, some teams may pick more than once or not at all in each round. This is because teams can choose to swap their picks for players on other teams or money.
The order of selection for the NBA draft is determined by the NBA draft lottery. This involves the 14 NBA teams that missed out on the playoffs. It determines the order of the first 14 selections of the NBA draft.
The lottery procedure is a little more complicated but it is designed to level the playing field. The draft lottery usually takes place in May with the NBA draft in June.
How Long is the NBA Draft?
The NBA draft is usually completed in a three-hour broadcast slot. However, the intention is now to split the draft over two days. This is because the National Basketball Association believes the audience has less interest in the second round of the draft.
For example, six-time NBA All-Star Nikola Jokić was infamously picked when the TV broadcast was showing a Taco Bell commercial. Now the picks made in the second round of the draft will get their moment in front of the fans.
How Many Rounds Were in Previous NBA Drafts?
From the inception of the NBA up until the mid-1970s, teams were allowed to keep picking until the pool of players was empty.
This lasted until 1974 when the NBA restricted teams to 10 rounds of picks.
In 1985, this restriction became seven rounds, and in 1989 it was officially restricted to two rounds.
When teams had unlimited picks, the draft with the most number of rounds occurred in 1968. During the ‘68 draft, 14 teams made 214 selections across 21 rounds of picking.
Changes in the NBA Draft Throughout the Years
The draft had an unlimited number of rounds when the NBA was formed. This existed until 1974 when the draft was restricted to 10 rounds. In 1985, the NBA draft was further restricted to seven rounds.
The NBA chose to make the draft two rounds long in 1989. It has been this way ever since.
The NBA draft typically takes place in one three-hour broadcast over one night. However, the plan now is to make the event stretch across two nights with the first round and second round on different evenings.
It has been televised since 1980 when it was broadcast on the USA Network. In 1985, TBS took over until 1990, when TNT aired the draft for 12 years.
ESPN then acquired the rights and they have been broadcasting the draft ever since. It was also shown on ABC in 2021, which was the first-ever broadcast television showing of the draft.
Impact of the Two-Round NBA Draft
Introducing two-round draft picks has had an effect on how teams use the opportunity.
One of the most clear and obvious consequences is that there are far more undrafted players at the end of the draft. This naturally means there is more competition between undrafted players when they declare for the draft.
Now the draft has been reduced to only two rounds, there is more prestige in getting picked. It is a much bigger moment now for a player to hear their name over the speaker.
Draft rounds are crucial for teams who need to add to their roster. They may even secure a potential future star player. However, this was true even before the two-round system.
Conclusion
The NBA draft is two rounds long and teams take turns picking players to become part of their roster.
It takes place in the NBA offseason, usually in June, and will be broadcast over two nights in the future.
In the past, the NBA draft was unlimited. It was then restricted to 10 rounds, followed by seven. The two-round format was introduced in 1989.
The two-round system makes declaring for the draft and getting picked a much more prestigious honor. It is a particularly good opportunity for college basketball players and those who play professionally overseas to get picked.
NBA Draft Rounds FAQs
How many rounds are in the NBA Draft?
Have there been more than two rounds in the NBA Draft before?
How many selections are there per round in the NBA Draft?
When was the NBA draft changed to include 2 rounds?
