Danilo Gallinari is an Italian professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After spending his first four years as a professional in his native Italy, Gallinari was drafted sixth overall in the 2008 NBA draft by the New York Knicks. He played with the Knicks for two and a half seasons before being traded to the Denver Nuggets in 2011. He has also played for the Los Angeles Clippers, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Atlanta Hawks, the Washington Wizards and the Detroit Pistons.
Samuel Presti is an American basketball executive who is currently the executive vice president and general manager for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has held the position since 2007 when he was hired at 29 years old, making him the second-youngest person to ever hold the position in the NBA. Since 2007, he stands as the third-most tenured head of basketball operations in the league.
The 2012 NBA draft was held on June 28, 2012, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time, and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players. The New Orleans Hornets, who had a 13.70 percent probability of obtaining the first selection, won the NBA draft lottery on May 30. The Charlotte Bobcats and the Washington Wizards were second and third, respectively. This draft marked the first time that the first two players selected were from the same school. It also set a record of having six players from one school (Kentucky) being selected in the two rounds of the draft and was the first draft to have the first three selections be college freshmen all from the same conference. Bernard James was the oldest player drafted in an NBA draft, being 27 years old at the time of the draft.
Bradley Emmanuel Beal Sr. is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Florida Gators before being selected by the Washington Wizards with the third overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft. In 11 seasons with Washington, he was named to the All-Rookie First Team in 2013, the All-NBA Third Team in 2021, and was a three-time All-Star. Beal is second on the Wizards' all-time leading scorer list.
Michael Peter Muscala is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Bucknell Bison.
Spencer Gray Dinwiddie is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes and earned first-team all-conference honors in the Pac-12 as a sophomore in 2013. He missed most of his junior year after injuring his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Dinwiddie recovered and was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the 2014 NBA draft.
Kristaps Porziņģis is a Latvian professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Listed at 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m), he plays both the power forward and center positions.
Paul Jamaine Washington Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. After being selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the first round of the 2019 NBA draft with the 12th overall pick, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2020. Washington was traded to the Mavericks in 2024.
The 2017–18 Los Angeles Clippers season was the 48th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), their 40th season in Southern California, and their 34th season in Los Angeles. Two-time Executive Of The Year winner Jerry West would join the Clippers as a special consultant.
Daniel Gafford is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Arkansas Razorbacks and was drafted in the second round of the 2019 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. He plays both the power forward and center positions.
The 2019 NBA draft was held on June 20, 2019. It took place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur United States college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players. It was televised nationally on ESPN. State Farm was the presenting sponsor of the NBA draft for the eighth consecutive year. This draft was the first to feature a new weighted lottery system in which the three worst teams each had a 14 percent chance of winning the lottery; these teams were the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Phoenix Suns. The lottery took place on May 14, during the NBA playoffs. Three of the four teams who held the top four picks of the draft this year rose up from at least six spots in the lottery, including the New Orleans Pelicans, who won the first pick with 6 percent odds. The Pelicans used that pick on Duke forward Zion Williamson. This draft included the first Japanese player to be selected in the first round, as well as the first Angolan player to be selected.
The 2019–20 Oklahoma City Thunder season was the 12th season of the franchise in Oklahoma City and the 53rd in the National Basketball Association (NBA). This was the Thunder's first season since 2007–08 without Russell Westbrook, as he was traded to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul and future draft picks on July 11, 2019. The trade reunited Westbrook with former Thunder teammate James Harden, who had played for the team from 2009 to 2012. The trade also marked Chris Paul's first time since 2006–07 playing in Oklahoma City after playing his first two seasons there when he was a member of the New Orleans Hornets. This trade was preceded by a trade where Paul George was sent to the Los Angeles Clippers for Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and a record 5 future 1st round draft picks on July 7.
The 2021 NBA draft, the 75th edition of the National Basketball Association's annual draft, was held on July 29, 2021, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The NBA draft returned to Brooklyn after last year's draft was held through videoconferencing at ESPN Studios in Bristol, Connecticut due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the first overall pick, the Detroit Pistons selected Cade Cunningham. The NBA used a "ceremonial pick" for the late Terrence Clarke, between the 14th and 15th pick of the draft.
The 2022 NBA draft, the 76th edition of the National Basketball Association's annual draft, was held on June 23, 2022, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The 2022 edition marked a return to the draft's normal June date after postponements were made in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This draft was the first of at least three straight NBA drafts that consisted of only 58 picks instead of the typical 60 due to the loss of a second-round pick for both the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat for violating the NBA's tampering rules during free agency. The first pick was made by the Orlando Magic, who selected Paolo Banchero from Duke. Banchero went on to win Rookie of the Year.
The 2020–21 Oklahoma City Thunder season was the 13th season of the franchise in Oklahoma City and the 55th in the National Basketball Association (NBA). This is the first season since 2014–15 without head coach Billy Donovan, as he mutually agreed to part ways with the Thunder on September 8, 2020, and 14 days later, went on to become the new head coach of the Chicago Bulls. For the first time since 2012–13, long-time players Steven Adams and André Roberson were not on the roster, as Adams was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, and Roberson signed with the Brooklyn Nets.
The 2021–22 Oklahoma City Thunder season was the 14th season of the franchise in Oklahoma City and the 56th in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The 2023 NBA draft, the 77th edition of the National Basketball Association's annual draft, was held on June 22, 2023, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The draft consisted of 58 picks instead of the typical 60 for the second year in a row due to the loss of a second-round pick for both the Chicago Bulls and the Philadelphia 76ers for violating the NBA's tampering rules during free agency. The first overall selection was made by the San Antonio Spurs, who selected the 7'4" French center Victor Wembanyama.
The 2023–24 Oklahoma City Thunder season is the 16th season of the franchise in Oklahoma City and the 58th in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After a win over the Rockets on February 27, the Thunder improved on their 40–42 record from the previous year. After a win over the New Orleans Pelicans, the Thunder reached 50 wins for the first time since 2016. On March 31, 2024, the Thunder clinched their first playoff berth since 2020 after a win against the New York Knicks. They eventually clinched their first division title since 2016, along with the top seed in the Western Conference for the first time since 2013. The Thunder became the youngest team to earn the 1-seed since seeding began in 1984.
The 2023–24 Detroit Pistons season was the 83rd season of the franchise, the 76th in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the seventh in Midtown Detroit. On April 10, 2023, Dwane Casey resigned from his position as head coach and transitioned to the Pistons' front office. This was the Pistons' first season under head coach Monty Williams. The Pistons finished with the worst overall record in the NBA for the second consecutive season and worst in franchise history at 14–68, surpassing the 1979–80 team that finished at 16–66, and missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season after a 142-124 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on March 9.
The 2023–24 Washington Wizards season was the 63rd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and 50th in the Washington, D.C. area. This is the first season since 2011–12, where the team entered the season without Bradley Beal, who was traded to the Phoenix Suns during the off-season.
