Expecting Adrian Wojnarowski to reveal the picks before live television this year as he has done for several drafts now? Well, you're going to be disappointed.
According to Awful Announcing, ESPN is not allowing its reporters to release draft picks before they are announced on live television this year.
A source tells Awful Announcing that ESPN has instructed its reporters to refrain from revealing picks on social media before they’re announced at Thursday’s draft, breaking with how the network has operated in the past. Previously, ESPN’s crew of insiders (or at least the ones who didn’t appear on the draft broadcast) has been free to report NBA Draft picks as soon as they learn of them — in contrast to how things work during the NFL Draft, when ESPN and NFL Network annually agree to hold off until the picks are read from the podium.
This is especially important to the NBA crowd who has been accustomed to "Woj bombs" during the draft. Last season Wojnarowski announced almost every single pick before they were revealed on live TV on Twitter when he worked for Yahoo Sports.
However, ESPN hired Wojnarowski soon after the 2017 draft, which has resulted in him essentially being muted on picks in 2018.
This does not mean reporters will not reveal the picks, though. ESPN has a massive TV deal with the NBA and, according to Awful Announcing, there is an assumption the league has asked the four-letter network to refrain from spoiling picks.
This does not apply to every outlet, however, a lot have agreed not to break the picks.
According to the Washington Post, both Yahoo Sports and Turner have agreed not to break selections on social media.
