NBA Draft Night is always a spectacle, both for potential draftees beginning their professional careers and for the teams who hope to improve by selecting them. Each year a group of hopefuls assembles at Barclays Center, the New York draft headquarters, in anticipation of being picked in premium lottery positions and getting to walk the stage to shake the Commissioner’s hand. Sometimes it works out exactly that way, other times less so, but it’s always fun seeing the newest members of the league have their moment in the sun.
This year the league has issued invitations to thirteen players in its first batch of invites. Jonathan Givony of ESPN has the list, headed by Duke forward Cooper Flagg who is presumed to become the first-overall selection by the Dallas Mavericks who won the NBA lottery drawing back in May.
Initial invites are:
Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, VJ Edgecombe, Tre Johnson, Khaman Maluach, Jeremiah Fears, Kon Knueppel, Kasparas Jakucionis, Egor Demin, Carter Bryant, Derik Queen and Asa Newell
The Portland Trail Blazers hold the 11th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. There is a chance that their eventual selection will come from this group.