A pre-event speculative exercise, this activity attempts to predict the selections of eligible players by National Basketball Association teams in a specific year’s upcoming player selection meeting. These simulations consider team needs, player potential, and available information such as scouting reports and college/international performance to project the order in which prospects will be chosen. For example, several iterations were published leading up to the actual event, each attempting to mirror the eventual selections made by NBA franchises.
These projections serve several purposes. For fans, they provide a basis for discussion and debate about the relative merits of different players. For analysts and media outlets, they generate content and drive engagement. Historically, these simulations offer insights into pre-draft perceptions of player value, sometimes revealing disparities between predicted success and actual NBA performance. They also illuminate the information gathering and decision-making processes employed by teams prior to the selection date.
