NBA fans were surprised by an ESPN broadcast change for the 2026 NBA Draft that sees the network sit down with draftees and their families instead of in a one-on-one format
20:56 ET, 23 Jun 2026Updated 21:40 ET, 23 Jun 2026
Lisa Salters interviews Keaton Wagler after he was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers(Image: X/ESPN)
ESPN decided to slightly tweak its interview strategy for the 2026 NBA Draft from previous years. Moments after being selected, ESPN reporter Lisa Salters sits down with the draftee and two family members — typically their parents — for a green room interview.
Fans on social media were surprised by the tweak. “As cool as it is to see guys with their families at the draft, I miss the day when guys did the first interview without the family and had to be front and center,” one wrote. “It be having a very PR and corporate feel now to me [sic].”
The 2026 NBA Draft started with the Washington Wizards selecting rangy wing AJ Dybansta, who missed March Madness, out of BYU with the first overall pick, a long-heralded top prospect dating back to his high school days. He was joined by his two sisters during the interview with Salters, while his father filmed it in the background.
“Yeah, let’s talk to the sister for half of the interview instead of talking to the actual pick,” wrote a critic on X of the three-minute interview segment.
Others agreed. “We really need a video story and a sit-down interview with mom and dad for every prospect ESPN? Just show me some highlights,” one tweeted.
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The Utah Jazz, perhaps hoping the Provo, Utah-based Dybansta would fall to No. 2, gleefully settled for Kansas combo guard Darryn Peterson, a likely No. 1 overall pick in most other drafts. He was joined by his parents when interviewed by Salters.
“I think they should just interview the draftee,” tweeted Andrew Marchand of The Athletic.
“They cut the draft into two days, and they still don’t interview the players for longer than 2 questions,” another critic said.
The Utah Jazz selected Darryn Peterson with the second pick in the 2026 NBA Draft(Image: Getty Images)
2026 NBA Draft surprises
The 2026 NBA Draft started with a few surprises.
A record eight freshmen were selected consecutively to start the night before the Dallas Mavericks selected Morez Johnson Jr. with the ninth pick.
The Memphis Grizzlies, despite the recent breakout of Zach Edey, selected fellow big in Duke star Cameron Boozer with the third overall pick.
The Chicago Bulls, a day after trading for Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton, kickstarted their rebuild with the selection of toolsy North Carolina forward Caleb Wison.
The Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets followed suit with Keaton Wagler and Mikel Brown Jr before a slew of guards in the guard-heavy draft flew off the board in the back of the top 10.
