NBA Draft Day Memories: Here's Mine, What are Yours??

 

I don't know what it is, but NBA Draft Day has always been one of my favorite days of the year. Maybe it's the witnessing  the beginning of future legends like Shaq, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant or historical curiosities like Ed O'Bannon, Mirisad Turckan, and Mario Bennett. What makes the NBA Draft stand out to me is first the time. It's only two rounds (I never understood why before the draft was longer than 2 rounds when you only had 12 man rosters at the most) and the time between picks is relatively short compared to football. Plus in football, I just can't get excited about watching a draft where you can go a period with a bunch of O and D lineman being drafted. Baseball? Forget about it, as much as MLB wants it to matter, baseball is the biggest crap shoot of them all, plus players are drafted by how easy they are able to sign, not by their talent, and additionally you might have to wait a few years to see these guys even step foot on a major league field. The NBA does the draft the best in my opinion (though I do miss the coverage being on TNT, not fond of ESPN's coverage). My first draft was 1992, I don't know what possibly caught the attention of my then 7 year old eyes but I was glued and it became a tradition to watch it all. From the first to last pick. Since 92, I've only missed watching one draft the Amare/Yao 02 draft, because I was called in to work (I would usually request draft day off....yes I'm a nerd,lol). My favorite draft day memory was the 93 draft. I'll never forget being so excited at seeing this

Shaq/Webber...the Ultimate team, and then just like that  this happened

I was ENRAGED. How could my Magic do this to me?? I was a kid at the time and had no clue who Anfernee Hardaway was and was in near tears that my dream team of Shaq/Webber was just that...a dream. Of course this trade allowed me to find out who "Penny" was and eventually I warmed up to him and he became my guy and my favorite player of all time. That is what makes the draft great, the drama, the big shakeups, big trades, and the beginning of seeing future All Stars and Hall Of Famers start their journey to greatness. You can't beat it.

What your favorite draft day memories throughout the years? Feel free to post em here!