NBA draft: Most memorable moments
Crying kid, eye-catching suits add colour to annual event
The annual NBA draft takes place Thursday evening at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Over two rounds, 60 young men will hear their names called as teams hope to add the building blocks or final pieces to their squad.
The realization of a dream and its life-changing implications should be the focal point of the draft, but that isn't always the case as strong fan reactions, colourful analysis, and fashion choices have a way of taking over.
Here's a look at some of draft day's most unforgettable moments:
The Crying Knicks Fan
Kristaps Porzingis was greeted with a chorus of boos when NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that he had been selected fourth overall by the New York Knicks last year.
Knicks fans, already frustrated by seeing their team finish near the bottom of the league, did not take kindly to the unconventional draft pick. Their emotions were summed up by a 10-year-old fan named Jordan.
Porzingis went on to finish as the runner-up in rookie of the year voting, and Jordan had a change of heart.
'He's two years away from being two years away'
The infamous words used by ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla to describe Bruno Caboclo still rings in the ears of Toronto Raptors fans. Described as the "Brazilian Kevin Durant," the 20th overall selection in the 2014 draft has yet to live up to those expectations.
It was a pick that shocked a lot of people as many mock drafts didn't even have the Brazilian in the first round. Adrian Wojnarowski, an NBA columnist for Yahoo! Sports, leaked all the picks ahead of their announcements, except for the Raptors'.
Isiah Austin
In a feel-good moment at the 2014 draft, commissioner Silver interrupted the proceedings to select Austin with a ceremonial draft pick on behalf of the league.
The former Baylor Bears centre was projected to be a first-round pick until he was diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome just a few days before the draft. Doctors told Austin he would risk rupturing his heart if he continued to play basketball.
Fashion disasters
For those who don't watch college or international basketball, the NBA draft is the chance for players to make a great first impression on fans.
Joakim Noah isn't the first, and won't be the last, draftee to make the "what not to wear" list after his wardrobe choice in 2007.
The former ninth overall pick and his pinstriped seersucker suit made GQ's "40 Worst Draft Suits in Sports History."