Only those expected to be taken off the board very early get an invite to attend the NFL and NBA drafts in person in the so-called “green room.” They are considered the best of the best available, those types of players that are sure-fire first-rounders that have a chance at making an immediate impact.
Consider Ohio State guard Malaki Branham in that bucket now because, on Tuesday, it was reported by Draft Express that he received an invitation to attend the 2022 NBA draft in person along with fifteen other players.
E.J. Liddell’s name was not among those sixteen players, but he too is expected to be taken in the first round, potentially making it two Ohio State players going in the first 30 picks.
Ohio State's Malaki Branham has received a green room invite to attend the NBA Draft with his family on June 23rd, a source told ESPN. pic.twitter.com/eMeCHoKgmf
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 13, 2022
The other fifteen players were also reported by Draft Express and have some more Big Ten players involved including Purdue’s Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray of Iowa, and Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis.
16 confirmed NBA draft green room invites thus far, per sources:
Jabari Smith
Chet Holmgren
Paolo Banchero
Jaden Ivey
Keegan Murray
Shaedon Sharpe
Dyson Daniels
Ben Mathurin
AJ Griffin
Jalen Duren
Johnny Davis
Ousmane Dieng
Jeremy Sochan
Ochai Agbaji
Mark Williams
Malaki Branham— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 13, 2022
If you’d like to watch the 2022 NBA draft, you can catch it being aired by ESPN on Thursday, June 23, at 8 pm ET.
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