New NBA Draft Dates Announced

We finally have confirmed dates for the NBA Draft and its surrounding activities.

If anything has been certain throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s been the uncertainty. Rarely have we been able to nail down certain dates or times with any degree of assurance that those will hold firm.

This has certainly held true for the NBA’s plans; both for working to finish the 2019-20 season as well as plans for the beginning of the 2020-21 season.

One of the first things that happens toward a new NBA season is the Draft Lottery and the subsequent Draft. Originally, the Lottery was slated to take place on Tuesday, May 19 with the Draft scheduled for Thursday, June 25, just three days from now.

Thankfully, we now have what appear to be official, written-in-stone, no-changing dates in place for both the Lottery and the Draft. Okay that’s a joke, there’s no way anything can be fully cemented in the current climate. Who knows what will happen with COVID-19 between now and the fall, but we can hope.

The NBA Draft Lottery is now scheduled for Tuesday, August 25.

It was anticipated that the actual NBA Draft would be scheduled for Thursday, October 15, but since that date overlaps with an NFL Thursday Night Game, the NBA has decided to push the Draft to Friday, October 16.

The NBA has also re-opened the window for student-athletes to declare for the Draft, running through Monday, August 17. Assuming the Draft date of October 16 holds, the withdrawal date for early entrants with be Tuesday, October 6, the customary 10 days before the Draft takes place.

Cole Anthony is the lone Tar Heel expected to be taken in this year’s draft. Once thought to be a top-three pick, Carolina’s team struggles and Anthony’s injury have lowered his projections. Most mock drafts have Anthony going somewhere in the lottery.

Will the NBA conclude the 2019-20 season in Florida? Will players go to Florida, given the restrictions and the rising number of cases in the state? Will the Draft dates hold? Will the 2020-21 season start on time?

Similar to everything else in life right now, nothing is certain until it actually happens. We have dates for the NBA Draft and its surrounding activities. Will it happen as scheduled? We wait and see.