nba draft

SOURCE SPORTS: 2023 NBA Draft Was Most-Watched Ever

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2023 NBA Draft Was Most-Watched Ever

The 2023 NBA Draft Presented By State Farm made history as the most-watched NBA Draft ever on any network, as reported by Nielsen. The first round, simulcast on ESPN and ABC, captured an average of 4,928,000 viewers, a significant 24 percent increase compared to last year’s numbers. The draft peaked during the 8 p.m. ET quarter hour, attracting an impressive 6,085,000 viewers.

In total, the NBA Draft garnered an average audience of 3,743,000 viewers across ESPN (both rounds) and ABC (first round-only), marking a substantial 23 percent rise from the previous year. Since its debut on ESPN and ABC in 2021, the NBA Draft has continued to gain momentum.

Notably, the NBA Draft on ESPN and ABC claimed the top spot as the most-watched program of the day across all television networks, appealing to all key demographics. The overwhelming viewership showcases the enduring popularity and widespread interest in the NBA and its aspiring stars.

The 2023 NBA Draft saw world basketball phenomenon Victor Wembanyama picked No. 1 overall for the San Antonio Spurs. Wembanyama made it to San Antonio on Saturday, greeted by “Wem-V-P” chants from adoring fans. You can see it below.

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Drake Embraces Dick’s Pics By Following The New Toronto Raptors Rookie On Instagram

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Getty Image

It’s a busy and exciting time in the NBA right now. Over the past few days, there were major trades involving Marcus Smart, Kristaps Porziņģis, Bradley Beal, and Chris Paul. All that was leading up to yesterday’s NBA Draft, the headline of which was the unsurprising decision by the San Antonio Spurs to draft Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 pick.

Gradey Dick also made headlines for his dazzling red outfit before getting selected at No. 13 by the Toronto Raptors (a pretty good pick, in our opinion). After donning his Raptors hat and shaking Adam Silver’s hand, Dick’s mind was on Drake.

In a post-draft press conference, Dick was asked about Drake and he said, “Gotta get out there, see Drake. I haven’t seen him a bunch, but I’m looking forward to that. [Becoming boys with Drake], that’s the goal. I need him to wear my jersey. That’s how I know [I’ve made it]. That’s my priority.”

Now, it appears their friendship is off to a good start: a video shared by the Raptors shows an excited Dick smiling shortly after getting followed on Instagram by Drake.

Drake will surely be happy to see Dick suit up for Toronto: Per our draft analysis, “This is a good value and a good fit. Dick is one of the best shooters in the class with good size for a wing and the ability to move off the ball and shoot on the move. Defensively, he probably won’t be a big plus, but Dick improved as the season went along, and Toronto’s roster could use the infusion of floor spacing.”

Drake Follows Toronto Raptors Rookie On Instagram After Shout Out At NBA Draft

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It was a big night for Gradey Dick. The combo forward/guard out of Kansas, who is considered one of the best shooters in the class, was picked 13th overall by the Raptors during the 2023 NBA Draft.

Furthermore, Dick was one of the biggest personalities at the draft. He rocked up to New York in a dazzling red suit inspired by Wizard of Oz. Meanwhile, his eccentric and hilarious TikTok account was going viral through the draft proceedings.

However, all Dick wanted after being drafted was to get a follow on Instagram from Drake. Additionally, Dick said his eventual goal was to become besties with the Toronto rapper. Well, it appears that Dick got at least one of those wishes on draft night.

Related: 2023 NBA Draft recap

Drake Follows Gradey Dick On Instagram

Soon after making his bold statements to the media, Dick found that his wish had been answered. In Instagram videos reshared by TMZ, Dick showed off his new Instagram follow – @champagnepapi, aka Drake.

“Come on! Champagne Papiii!” Dick was heard yelling excitedly backstage after discovering that Drizzy had given him that all-important follow. The next step is to get a Gradey Dick jersey into the rapper’s hands. “I need him to wear my jersey. That’s my priority,” Dick had said at his press conference.

Obviously, Drake is one of the most prominent Raptors fans around. However, he has often been blamed for the team’s failures, with many people dubbing the Raptors’ recent lack of success the Drake Curse. However, with new coach Darko Rajaković at the helm, maybe the Drake Curse can become a Drake Blessing.

Related: Jack Harlow becomes the latest “cursed” celebrity sports fan

Unreleased Drake Song Heard In Houston Nightclub

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Our Generation Music (@ourgenerationmusic)

However, Instagram follows are not the only reason people are talking about Toronto’s foremost rapper. One of Drake’s unreleased songs somehow made its way into the hands of a DJ at a nightclub in Houston.

Area 29, located in Westwood in southwest Houston, treated fans to a reportedly unreleased track from Drizzy earlier this week. Footage from inside the club was shared by Our Generation Music on Instagram. However, fans in the comments were not blown away by the song. Furthermore, others felt that Drake came off as “sassy.”

In other news surrounding Drake releases, the rapper appeared to confirm that he would be featuring on Business Is Business, the upcoming album from Young Thug. In fact, Drake appears twice on the album, featuring on “Parade On Cleveland” and “Oh U Went”.

Related: Young Thug assures Drake he will be paid for Business Is Business features

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The 2023 NBA Draft Was Pure Chaos

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June 22 marked the 2023 NBA Draft, with 58 of the best college players in the nation chosen by the league’s 30 teams. For the first few picks, everything seemed to be going normally. Victor Wembanyama went first overall as expected, with Twitter getting really thirsty for his pro baller sister, Eve.

The Hornets choose Brandon Miller at two, contrary to Shams Charania’s “sources”, setting up the Blazers to grab Scoot Henderson at three. After that, the Thompson twins went four and five, becoming the first brothers to be drafted in the top five since the ABA/NBA merger.

However, the tail end of the lottery picks is where things began to get weird. Leave it to the Wizards, who dealt Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porziņģis, and Chris Paul before the draft began, to continue having the weirdest offseason in the NBA.

Related: Brian Windhorst gives wild take about LeBron and Victor Wembanyama

Wizards Trigger Draft Weirdness

With the seventh overall pick, the Pacers took Wembanyama’s Mets 92 teammate Bilal Coulilbaly. One pick later, the Wizards took Houston’s Jarace Walker and immediately traded him to the Pacers for Coulilbaly. Two picks later, the Mavericks drafted Kentucky’s Carson Wallace and immediately traded him to the Thunder for the 12th overall pick, Duke’s Dereck Lively II.

Meanwhile, it was a longer wait than expected for Villanova’s Cam Whitmore. Expected to go in the top 10, Whitmore fell to the Rockets at #20. Reportedly, teams were scared off by some worrying medical reports about Whitmore. However, beyond that, the draft proceeded as most pundits expected.

Elsewhere, fans were having a lot of fun with Gradey Dick, drafted by the Raptors at #13. Turns out that Dick is something of a TikTok connoisseur and a number of his videos went viral during the draft. When asked about them, Dick said he would be making some Tiktoks with new teammate Scottie Barnes very soon.

@gradeydick

Love u boys! 🪂🤪 #fypシ #xybca @Kev

♬ original sound – GD

Related: Dwyane Wade tells NBA rookies to get a financial manager

More Offseason Chaos To Come?

However, just because the trade is over doesn’t mean the offseason is. We can likely expect a few more blockbuster moves in the coming weeks. For example, teams are reportedly lining up with bids for Damian Lillard after the Blazers opted to draft Scoot Henderson. Lillard has been very vocal about not wanting to be part of a “youth movement” in Portland.

Elsewhere, the Atlanta Hawks are reportedly in hot pursuit of the Raptors’ Pascal Siakam. However, it is believed that talks have stalled as of late due to Toronto’s high demands for the fan-favorite player. The Hawks have had “several creative trade packages” rejected according to recent reports.

Furthermore, Cleveland has been fielding some offers for all-star big man Jarrett Allen. Despite this, a move might be unlikely now that the draft has passed. Cleveland held just one pick in the draft, taking Eastern Michigan’s Emoni Bates with the 49th pick. However, it’s still early days in the NBA offseason and anything could happen.

Related: Paul George take appears unlikely

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Charlotte Hornets Eyeing Scoot Henderson With Second Overall Pick

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With the NBA Draft just hours away, the question remains as to what will happen with the second-overall pick. Currently held by the Charlotte Hornets, the team has been linked with a number of trades to acquire talent. However, it has become more and more evident that the Hornets are moving towards selecting a player with the pick.

That in itself raises another question – who? Beyond presumptive first-overall pick Victor Wembanyama, there is a less definitive second-best prospect in the draft. However, experts rank Alabama’s Brandon Miller and the G League’s Scoot Henderson as the best prospects after Wembanyana.

For most of the pre-draft process, it is believed that the Hornets valued Miller over Henderson. This was largely over beliefs that Henderson would challenge LaMelo Ball’s position in the starting lineup, while Miller could fill a bigger need for the team. However, the most recent reports suggest that Charlotte’s opinions are changing.

Related: Boston Celtics get Kristaps Porziņģis and first-round picks in three-team trade with Wizards, Grizzlies

Henderson’s Draft Stock Rises For The Hornets

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, it has become a much tougher decision for the Hornets. Per Charania, the decision will be made in the draft. Furthermore, the Hornets will not be informing either player that they will be the selection before they submit the pick to the league office. Per Hornets GM Mitch Kupchak, outgoing owner Michael Jordan will have the final say on the pick.

This, as noted by Yahoo Sports‘ Jake Fischer, is the long-time MO of Kupchak. Back in 2015, Kupchak was GM of the Warriors, who also held the #2 pick. Narrowing down the choice to D’Angelo Russell and Jahlil Okafor, Kupchak kept the choice under wraps until it was sent to the league office.

Henderson’s entrance into the NBA has been highly anticipated for many years. He forwent the NCAA to play in the G League, one of many in this draft class. Listed at 6″3 and 185lbs, he is the best point guard of the draft class. However, both he or Miller could change the fortunes of the Hornets’ ailing franchise.

Related: Michael Jordan sells Hornets to an ownership group including J. Cole

Draft Night Drama After Hornets Pick?

With the Hornets seemingly locking in on using the second-overall pick, we will see a dramatic draft night trade? The decision that the Portland Trail Blazers make at #3 could affect the organization for years to come. They could trade whoever the Hornets don’t pick one pick earlier. However, that could drive Damian Lillard out of Portland.

Alternatively, they could finally swing a trade to bring an elite teammate for a win-now run with Dame. However, this could be a move that dooms the franchise if they fall short of the ring. Furthermore, they have lost some of the leverage they once had, as teams who want to trade up for Henderson will now look to speak with Charlotte and not the Blazers.

In terms of rumored movement, Portland reportedly had a trade for Paul George rejected by the Clippers. Meanwhile, Brian Windhorst is reporting that despite the Blazers shutting down trade talk for Lillard, a number of teams are still preparing offers. This comes as the Blazers saying that they intend to use their pick tonight. However, that cannot be confirmed until Adam Silver stands at that podium in New York.

Related: Washington Wizards trade Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors

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SOURCE SPORTS: Victor Wembanyama Reveals to ‘GMA’ Host Robin Roberts if He Didn’t Play Basketball He Would Find a Career in Art

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Victor Wembanyama Reveals to 'GMA' Host Robin Roberts if He Didn't Play Basketball He Would Find a Career in Art

In a revealing Good Morning America interview, Victor Wembanyama, the highly anticipated NBA Draft prospect, opened up about his life beyond the basketball court.

Speaking with GMA co-anchor Robin Roberts, Wembanyama disclosed his second passion: drawing. The young basketball sensation expressed his love for art and revealed that if he hadn’t pursued a career in basketball, he would have dedicated his time to honing his artistic skills. This revelation offers a glimpse into the multi-dimensional talents and interests of the potential top overall NBA Draft pick.

“When I’ve got nothing to do, the first thing my mind is going to think about is grab a pencil and a sheet of paper and draw something,” Wembanyama said.

Entering the draft, it is all but declared that Wembanyama will join the San Antonio Spurs as the No. 1 overall pick. You can see the full interview below.

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Dwyane Wade Gives NBA Draftees Some Crucial Advice

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Dwayne Wade is one of the greatest players to ever set foot on an NBA court. After a standout career at Marquette, including a Final Four run in 2003, Wade was drafted fifth overall by the Heat. That’s where he spent most of his career, winning three NBA titles. His jersey was retired following his 2019 retirement and he will absolutely be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when eligible.

Wade made nearly $200 million from his NBA contracts alone, including $2.6 million in his rookie year. As players get better and better, and the NBA gets more and more lucrative, young players are having million of dollars thrust upon them. This can be overwhelming and lead to regrettable choices. However, Wade was on had in a recent interview to provide some advice about how rookies should handle their money.

Dwyane Wade Gives Financial Advice To NBA Rookies

Approached by TMZ ahead of the draft, Wade dished out his top advice for anyone hoping to get drafted. “Take in the moment, it goes fast. You only get one draft,” Wade began. When the TMZ interviewer asked what financial advice he had, Wade merely replied that he wasn’t a financial advisor. However, he did also provide a little more advice when pressed. “Try to get you somebody in your life that really knows finances,” Wade said. “Somebody who, hopefully, you can build a relationship with. Hopefully, you can build a trust with eventually.”

The 2023 NBA Draft begins at 8pm ET on June 22. The San Antonio Spurs are expected to take generational talent Victor Wembanyama first overall. Despite rumors that they might trade back, at the time of writing, it seems as if the Hornets and Blazers will also take places at the two and three spots. Some draft picks have traded hands in recent days, however. The Boston Celtics will pick at #25 after acquiring the pick from Memphis. Meanwhile, the Nuggets traded back into the first round in a deal with the Pacers. Follow all the latest NBA news here at HotNewHipHop.

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Brandon Miller Picks A Very Surprising Player As His GOAT

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Alabama freshman Brandon Miller is expected to hear his name called second or third overall during the 2023 NBA Draft on June 22. The SEC Freshman of the Year and Second-Team All-American will likely go to the Hornets, Blazers, or the team that trades up into one of those spots. However, his landing spot will ultimately be decided by whether teams prefer him or G-League standout Scoot Henderson. Furthermore, both picks are still reportedly up for grabs a little over 24 hours before the draft.

Miller, aside from his involvement in the shooting death of a woman in Tuscaloosa, had a fantastic one-and-done college year. As mentioned, he was showered with awards come season’s end. Additionally, he helped the Alabama Crimson Tide secure their first-ever one-seed in the NCAA tournament. However, the team was upset in the Sweet Sixteen by eventual runners-up San Diego State. He averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game during his time with the Crimson Tide.

Miller Names Paul George His GOAT

However, Miller is now making headlines for something a little more bizarre. During his pre-draft press availability on June 21, Miller was asked whether Jordan or LeBron was the GOAT. Furthermore, he was asked if he felt the GOAT debate was “overdone.” Miller’s answer was unique, to say the least. “No, because I actually don’t think LeBron is the GOAT of basketball,” Miller said. “My GOAT of basketball is Paul George. I grew up watching him, so, it was never just LeBron.”

It may be the first time that George, an eight-time all-star, has ever been named the GOAT of basketball. Despite this, it’s clear that Miller took this question more personally, rather than an objective ranking of basketball’s best-ever players. Previously, Miller has said that he admires George because he “takes pride in the defensive side. I steal some of his moves and put my own twist to it.” What do you think about Miller’s take? Let us know in the comments. Follow all the latest NBA Draft news here at HotNewHipHop.

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Zion Williamson Floated As Trade Piece Amid Draft Rumors

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The New Orleans Pelicans finished the 2022-23 season 42-40, marking their first winning since 2018. Despite falling to the Thunder in the Play-In tournament, it was a sign that the franchise was moving in the right direction. However, most of the season’s success was achieved without former first-overall pick Zion Williamson. Williamson, who has struggled with injuries since joining the league in 2019, played in just 29 games this season.

In the NBA Draft Lottery, the Pelicans drew the 14th overall pick. However, whether they stay there is another story. According to Shams Charania, the Pelicans are eager to make a trade that would give them the second or third pick in the draft. These picks are currently held by the Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers respectively. However, what would the Pelicans be willing to give up in order to move that far up the draft board?

Zion Williamson Could Be Traded

If the Pelicans moved up, it would be to acquire G-League standout Scoot Henderson. However, a move from #14 to #2/#3 would require a lot of capital. Brian Windhorst addressed whether those trades could include Williamson on ESPN‘s Get Up. “I think it’s fair to say, based on my conversations, there’s an eye being kept towards whether the Pelicans would make Zion Williamson available ahead of trying to get into that top end of the draft.” However, it must be mentioned that Williamson has a poison pill trade clause in his contract until July 1.

A package to get into the top three would have to include a mix of favorable draft picks and good on-court talent. But how valuable is Williamson? Obviously, he’s an elite player when he’s on the floor. However, he has missed 214 games since he was drafted. That’s equivalent to 65.2% of all Pelicans games since his rookie season. Furthermore, the increasingly scandalous reports surrounding his personal life are likely to make a number of execs question whether he’s the sort of influence they want on the team. Despite these concerns, he will still likely be an enticing prospect. This applies especially to the Blazers, who are adamant about building a “win-now” team around Damian Lillard. Any updates on these rumors will be reported here on HotNewHipHop.

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San Antonio Spurs Reportedly Looking To Acquire Another First-Round Pick

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The San Antonio Spurs took a major step forward in their rebuild last week. On a tense night, the Spurs won out when they were granted the first pick in the NBA Draft lottery. That gave them the privilege of expected generational talent Victor Wembanyama. The French superstar has been the presumptive first-overall pick for years now.

The Spurs have missed the playoffs in the last four seasons and won just 22 games in the 2022/23 campaign. That’s an eight-game dropoff compared to the season prior. The most recent season included dismal 1-win months in November and February. However, moves during the season, which pointed to a tank job, have set up the Spurs nicely in terms of draft capital. However, recent rumors indicate the Spurs might not be done yet.

Spurs Looking For Another First Rounder

AUSTIN, TX – APRIL 06: Kevin Knox II #11 of the Portland Trailblazers drives past Dominick Barlow #26 of the San Antonio Spurs in the first half at Moody Center on April 06, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

According to Rafael Barlowe of NBA Big Board, “The San Antonio Spurs are said to be working the phones looking for deals to acquire an additional first-round pick, preferably in the lottery, to add a point guard.” The rumor comes after reports that the Spurs met with PGs Cason Wallace and Amen Thompson at the NBA Combine.

Both players are intriguing prospects. However, both will likely come at a steep price. Thompson is expected to be off the board by the fourth pick, going either third or fourth. While the Spurs do have a wealth of picks, teams will be wary. No one wants to provide the Spurs with too many elite picks in this year’s stacked draft. Meanwhile, Kentucky’s Cason Wallace is expected to go early in the double-digit picks. While as not as steep a price, the Spurs can still expect to pay heavily to trade back up that high in the first round. This is just the latest in a bevy of trade stories surrounding the first few picks of the draft. The Blazers are reportedly willing to trade the third-overall pick in order to add an “elite” small forward. Meanwhile, the Rockets are fielding multiple calls about the fourth-overall pick.

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