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The 2025 NBA Draft is just around the corner, with events taking place on June 25 and 26 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
As the date approaches, the NBA has already sent out invitations to 19 top-rated prospects for the Green Room—an area at the draft venue where anticipated lottery picks and other elite hopefuls gather with their families, agents, and close associates while awaiting their names to be announced by Commissioner Adam Silver.
Notable among the 19 invitees are a number of players from Europe, as reported by Jonathan Givony. Former standouts from Real Madrid and Barcelona, Egor Demin and Kasparas Jakucionis, have received their invitations, and joining them are two French talents—Noa Essengue and Nolan Traore.
Essengue had originally not received an invitation in the first round due to his obligations with ratiopharm Ulm, who are currently competing in the German BBL Finals against Bayern Munich. With Bayern holding a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series and Game 3 set for June 21, there’s a possibility that the series could wrap up before the NBA Draft. However, if Ulm is able to prolong the matchup, Essengue’s attendance in Brooklyn may once again be uncertain, with Game 4 on June 24 and a potential Game 5 scheduled for June 26—the same day as the second round of the draft.
Nevertheless, the inclusion of Essengue and Traore alongside Demin and Jakucionis highlights their potential as high draft selections, regardless of their physical attendance in the Green Room on draft night.
Additionally, it is anticipated that the NBA will extend invitations to five more players, which means more European prospects could be forthcoming. Among those who might join are Essengue’s teammate at Ulm, Ben Saraf, as well as Joan Beringer from Cedevita Olimpija, who is projected for a mid-first round selection, and Hugo Gonzalez from Real Madrid.
