As a fan, what's the point of keeping up with the draft?

[Outlier]

I was chatting with a friend about the draft, telling him about all these exciting prospects that will be playing in the NBA soon. I was replied with a "I don't know, I judge them when I see em on the NBA court." It kind of had me stumped and made me think if I am wasting my time reading up on these will-be-NBA players. I mean if the player we draft is gonna be a bust, then they're a bust right? Is there something we gain as a fan when we keep up with the draft? What do you guys think?

[Yung-T]

Slap your friend.

[Dubious]

It's Summer, people suppose to get Drafty.

[Joe Joe]

Some fans only watch the games. Others get on message boards and discuss the players and potential players in great detail. Sometimes, I wish I was in the first group like your friend.

[smr6]

Because I can't just forget about basketball until the season starts, so this is what I have left.

[The Rock MVP]

I like to analyze sports so I enjoy looking at prospects and evaluating teams. There is more to basketball than just watching it. I love the strategy that is involved

[A_3PO]

Originally Posted by Outlier I was chatting with a friend about the draft, telling him about all these exciting prospects that will be playing in the NBA soon. I was replied with a "I don't know, I judge them when I see em on the NBA court." It kind of had me stumped and made me think if I am wasting my time reading up on these will-be-NBA players. I mean if the player we draft is gonna be a bust, then they're a bust right? Is there something we gain as a fan when we keep up with the draft? What do you guys think?

I'm with you completely. During the NBA season I'm totally immersed and don't watch much college basketball. As the draft approaches, all of these names come up and I haven't seen most of them play once. It isn't worth my time reading articles and watching YouTube, especially during the NBA playoffs. The draft is right after the Finals and summer league starts up shortly after the draft.

After summer league is where the basketball drought starts. Before then, there is plenty going on and (for me) taking the time to obsess over the draft distracts from the NBA season and playoffs. But to each his own. I can see how grading prospects and discussing trades can be a lot of fun. If the NBA was like the NFL and the draft was well after the season during the boring summer, I'd participate more.

[haoafu]

I'm interested and excited about analyzing and discussing prospects. I don't know, but I feel happiness doing this...

[RV6]

isn't that like asking why you'd watch the season? If the rockets make the playoffs, then they'll make it, what's the point of watching?


As a fan, you get to measure your own ability to evaluate these guys. You get a better understanding of why guys gets picked or why they drop. Fans complain about their team not picking X player in the second round after they develop well in the NBA. If they followed the draft, they'd know why the player dropped.

[ROXTXIA]

HERESY!!!

[arjun]

if you dont want to...then dont..??

[JMAD21]

As a fan of college basketball, as well as the nba, it's fun to try to guess where guys will go and follow the whole process.

[Big MAK]

I imagine your friend also doesn't watch the Rockets unless they're doing well. What's the point of watching a losing team, right?

[dkamberi25]

For me I like studying the prospects and coming up with who I think will be good pros. So outside of my team, I have players that I like or root for because I thought they would be good and they turned out that way. Guys like Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Danny Granger are guys that I liked coming out and am fans of today because they realized there potential.

[Juxtaposed Jolt]

Originally Posted by Outlier I was chatting with a friend about the draft, telling him about all these exciting prospects that will be playing in the NBA soon. I was replied with a "I don't know, I judge them when I see em on the NBA court." It kind of had me stumped and made me think if I am wasting my time reading up on these will-be-NBA players. I mean if the player we draft is gonna be a bust, then they're a bust right? Is there something we gain as a fan when we keep up with the draft? What do you guys think?

For me, it's watching David Stern call the names of the players.

I <3 David Stern, if only for basketball reasons.

[BasketballReasons]

I used to be really "drafty". Was excited about all the young prospects coming in to the NBA, all these futures superstars. Then I realized they we're never going to play for the Rockets, so I stopped paying attention to it.

[Shroopy2]

Its all about "I told you so". Its nice and safe to just be involved in the finished products. Nothing wrong with that. It can a bit more exciting to take a RISK in making predictions and early proclamations.

Or just some people like being on the early developmental end. Anyone can be a fan of someone or something thats already good. Maybe its more rewarding seeing things from the initial stages to the final stages, not just the final stage.

That said, I don't follow the draft much anymore either. I'm content with just the professional product. Its not just apathy and being minimal, its mostly I don't watch the college and high school game at all to even make any kind of good projections.

I just don't have college spirit anymore. Part of that is the 1-&-Dones in college b-ball. I might watch Euroleague just as much as college now, cuz its a mature league where legit prospects are.

[ObamaFan]

For me its the DRAFT DAY trades EASILYYYYYYYY

David Stern: We have a trade to announce

Also i like seeing which players teams reach for

And seeing if the guy i wanted is still on the board when we pick.

Also Daryl Morey is so unpredictable, i like watching the draft, to see what he will do, or what trade he will make

I dont know about you guys, butim def watching this years draft. So much can happen to affect our team on that 1 day

[JD88]

Im a huge UK fan, I follow recruiting 24/7.

Im usually up on high school kids as young as sophomores. I was following MKG's progress from the time he was a sophomore.

[coachbadlee]

Real fans care about the future of their team. This is why they watch the draft.