The NBA’s commitment to promoting basketball around the world is paying off, as a new generation of international players looks to make their mark on the league.
What is the NBA Draft?
The NBA Draft is an annual event where the 30 NBA teams select eligible players from college, high school, and international leagues. It consists of two rounds, with each team having one pick in each round. The order of the draft is determined by a lottery system, with teams who had worse records from the previous season having a higher chance of getting a higher pick.
This year, the NBA Draft is taking place on June 22, with 242 players filing as early entry candidates, with 48 of them being international hopefuls. This includes Sheffields’ own Quinn Ellis, who is hoping to hear his name called to join an exclusive list of British players to ply their trade in basketball’s biggest league.
How has the NBA changed in recent years for international players?
There are now more international players in the NBA than ever before. According to the NBA, during the 2020-21 season, 107 international players from 41 countries were on NBA rosters, representing 25.9% of the league’s players. This is up from just 21.1% in the 2000-01 season. NBA teams are now doing a better job of scouting international players and identifying talent overseas. Many teams now have scouts and offices in Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world, and they are regularly attending international games and tournaments to find the next big star.
How have UK basketball players done in the past?
It’s important to note that UK basketball players face some unique challenges when it comes to making it in the NBA, such as adjusting to the different style of basketball and visa issues. Despite the challenges, many UK basketball players have successfully made the transition to the NBA, such as Luol Deng, Ben Gordon and OG Anunoby.
Quinn Ellis
The 19-year-old from Sheffield currently making a name for himself in Serie A2, the second division of Italian basketball for Novipiu Casale Monferrato has sent his name in for the 2023 NBA Draft. His mother, Vanessa Ellis, assistant coach to Team GB women’s basketball team discusses how Quinn got to the position he is in.
She said: “He’s had a good year, he was MVP, he had a great performance against Serbia and has done well in the Italian league. He has an agent so this is part of his exposure and getting his name out there, so teams are aware of who he is.
She then went on to discuss some of the intricacies behind how international stars get drafted: “There are NBA camps in Europe that you have to be invited to, you can’t just turn up – and he has an official invite now.
They’re about people seeing him, noticing him and telling him to work on this, it’s a process.”