ESPN’s booth at the 2024 NBA Draft was bit by one of the draft’s quirkiest rules during Wednesday’s first round.
Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham was selected eighth overall by the San Antonio Spurs. As soon as the pick was announced, ESPN anchor Malika Andrews said, “This is exactly what Rob Dillingham was hoping for. A home with the San Antonio Spurs.”
“I’m already imagining him running around Victor Wembanyama in handoffs,” analyst Andraya Carter added. “The speed that he plays with. The energy that he brings, San Antonio will love.”
“But you’re not going to be imagining him next to Victor Wembanyama,” Andrews said later. “Because as our Adrian Wojnarowski has just reported, Minnesota has traded for the eighth pick and Rob Dillingham.”
Great timing on this Woj Bomb.
As the ESPN crew is breaking down how well Rob Dillingham will work with Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, they learn that he’s going to be traded to the Timberwolves. pic.twitter.com/XYXF44xRYA
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 27, 2024
Wojnarowski later detailed the specifics of the trade.
“The Timberwolves are trading a 2031 unprotected first and a protected 2030 pick swap to the Spurs for Dillingham, source tells ESPN,” Wojnarowski said on X (formerly Twitter).
The Timberwolves are trading a 2031 unprotected first and a protected 2030 pick swap to the Spurs for Dillingham, source tells ESPN. https://t.co/jTMUQlhsrh
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 27, 2024
This is a common feature of drafts. Unlike the NFL Draft, trades made during the NBA Draft can’t be processed immediately. So, over the years, we’ve seen plenty of weird images, like Kobe Bryant wearing a Charlotte Hornets hat in 1996 or Luka Dončić and Trae Young wearing Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks hats, respectively, before getting traded for each other in 2018.
The difference is that in most of those situations, the pending trade is known — just not official — before the pick is announced.
And to be fair, the Spurs may still love Dillingham’s speed and energy. They’ll just have to do so from afar.
[Adrian Wojnarowski on X]
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