And with the first pick of the 2020 Sal’s NBL Showdown Draft, the Otago Nuggets select …
This is how the live broadcast of Thursday night’s inaugural Player Draft on Sky Sport 3 will start as the Nuggets get proceedings underway and make the opening selection.
Across 12 rounds, a total of 84 players will be snapped up by the seven teams competing in this year’s re-formatted event.
Following four days of pre-selections, the NBL Independent Panel of Dillon Boucher, Judd Flavell, Huw Beynon and Justin Nelson have put in place a draft order to help distribute the available talent for the competition’s 56 games to be played in Auckland from 23 June.
“It’s an exciting time for the Sal’s NBL, we can’t wait to get back on court in front of our fans but, before we can do that. all eyes will be on this very unique draft on Thursday night,” said League General Manager Justin Nelson.
The draft will be available on Sky Sport 3, Sky Sport Next, Stuff.co.nz and the Tribe Sports App, while the second half of the draft will also be available on the @NZNBL Facebook page.
“Via our great friends at Sky Sport, we will have draft picks available for everyone to watch, both in New Zealand and around the world. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the League, and for our teams and players to be seen by so many people,” Nelson added.
Following the Nuggets at the top of the draft board will be the Taranaki Mountainairs and Manawatu Jets.
Some of the biggest names set to feature in the opening rounds include Mika Vukona, Jordan Ngatai, Tom Vodanovich, Hyrum Harris, Marcel Jones, Tohi Smith-Milner, Jarrod Kenny, Jack Salt and Sam Timmins.
All up, 19 current or former Tall Blacks are likely to be drafted, while a plethora of exciting young stars will feature across all 12 rounds.
“The whole draft process we came up with to enable the competition to get going again has captured everyone’s imagination, it really has got people across the country talking about basketball.
“And now all eyes will be on the Nuggets. Who will they take with the opening pick? Who will go down in history as New Zealand’s first ever Sal’s NBL draft pick?
“We thank everyone who has supported the league during this time of change, especially the seven teams and all of the players, we appreciate that this season has to be different and we value the sacrifice everyone has made to ensure the show goes on.”
Sal’s NBL Showdown - Draft Order
ROUND 1
1. Otago Nuggets
2. Taranaki Mountainairs
3. Manawatu Jets
4. Nelson Giants
5. Canterbury Rams
6. Franklin Bulls
7. Auckland Huskies
ROUND 2
8. Auckland Huskies
9. Franklin Bulls
10. Canterbury Rams
11. Nelson Giants
12. Manawatu Jets
13. Taranaki Mountainairs
14. Otago Nuggets
ROUND 3
15. Otago Nuggets
16. Taranaki Mountainairs
17. Manawatu Jets
18. Nelson Giants
19. Canterbury Rams
20. Franklin Bulls
21. Auckland Huskies
ROUND 4
22. Auckland Huskies
23. Franklin Bulls
24. Canterbury Rams
25. Nelson Giants
26. Manawatu Jets
27. Taranaki Mountainairs
28. Otago Nuggets
ROUND 5
29. Otago Nuggets
30. Taranaki Mountainairs
31. Manawatu Jets
32. Nelson Giants
33. Canterbury Rams
34. Franklin Bulls
35. Auckland Huskies
ROUND 6
36. Auckland Huskies
37. Franklin Bulls
38. Canterbury Rams
39. Nelson Giants
40. Manawatu Jets
41. Taranaki Mountainairs
42. Otago Nuggets
ROUND 7
43. Otago Nuggets
44. Taranaki Mountainairs
45. Manawatu Jets
46. Nelson Giants
47. Canterbury Rams
48. Franklin Bulls
49. Auckland Huskies
ROUND 8
50. Auckland Huskies
51. Franklin Bulls
52. Canterbury Rams
53. Nelson Giants
54. Manawatu Jets
55. Taranaki Mountainairs
56. Otago Nuggets
ROUND 9
57. Otago Nuggets
58. Taranaki Mountainairs
59. Manawatu Jets
60. Nelson Giants
61. Canterbury Rams
62. Franklin Bulls
63. Auckland Huskies
ROUND 10
64. Auckland Huskies
65. Franklin Bulls
66. Canterbury Rams
67. Nelson Giants
68. Manawatu Jets
69. Taranaki Mountainairs
70. Otago Nuggets
ROUND 11
71. Otago Nuggets
72. Taranaki Mountainairs
73. Manawatu Jets
74. Nelson Giants
75. Canterbury Rams
76. Franklin Bulls
77. Auckland Huskies
ROUND 12
78. Auckland Huskies
79. Franklin Bulls
80. Canterbury Rams
81. Nelson Giants
82. Manawatu Jets
83. Taranaki Mountainairs
84. Otago Nuggets
Sal’s NBL Draft Night broadcast details below
DRAFT NIGHT - THURSDAY JUNE 11 - PART 1
• 5pm to 6pm (NZT) - Rounds 1 to 5
• Sky Sport 3
• Sky Sport Next
• Stuff.co.nz
• Tribe Sports App
• Rounds 1 to 5 selected
DRAFT NIGHT - THURSDAY JUNE 11 - PART 2
• 7:30pm to 9pm (NZT) - Rounds 6 to 12
• Sky Sport Next
• Stuff.co.nz
• Tribe Sports App
