NBA Draft night 2017 is over and the picks are in. Listen in on the Brooklyn Nets press conference as the team introduces its NBA Draft pick, Jarrett Allen.
The Brooklyn Nets selected Jarrett Allen from the University of Texas at Austin in the first round at No. 22, and on the very next day, June 23, 2017, the Nets held a press conference to introduce its draft selection to the New York media.
Sean Marks, Brooklyn Nets general manager, and Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson agreed after the NBA Draft that the Nets will need time to develop Allen.
Even Allen is clear that he is a work in progress, particularly the need to strengthen his body. In addition to developmental work, Allen admitted that he needs to adjust to New York City since he comes from a more suburban environment.
The Brooklyn Nets is a very young team, and Sean and Kenny will look to Jeremy Lin, Trevor Booker, Sean Kilpatrick, and even recent pickup Timofey Mozgov to provide leadership to the younger players both on and off the court.
Leading into the draft, speculators had Allen floating in the first round around 12-16, even Sean Marks was surprised that Allen was still available at No. 22. Scouting reports listed Jarrett Allen’s attributes as a good defender, a remarkable 7’5” wingspan to go along with a wide frame, and quick feet and surprising agility.
Sean Marks, Brooklyn Nets, General Manager, started his conversation with reporters that cover the Brooklyn Nets with praises for Brook Lopez for his 9-season commitment to the Brooklyn Nets. Lopez should be proud that the Nets front office thought enough of him to preface their player movement briefing by thanking him for his hard work and dedication to the Brooklyn Nets. Many organizations neglect to publicly thank former employees for being an asset to the organization, they just move on as if you never existed.
After thanking Lopez, Marks pivoted and answered questions from reporters regarding the Lopez trade for Los Angeles Lakers players D'Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov, and the Nets’ NBA Draft night pick Jarrett Allen.
The Nets selected Allen in the first round at No. 22. Brooklyn's second draft pick in the first round at No. 27, Kyle Zuma, went to the Lakers to complete the Russell- Mozgov trade.
Now, in case you’re wondering how the Nets could have draft picks if the Nets gave away its draft picks to the Boston Celtics through the 2018 season, here’s the answer. The Washington Wizards needed depth and the Nets needed draft picks, so the Nets and the Wizards did a deal. The Wizards traded forward Andrew Nicholson, guard-forward Marcus Thornton, and a 2017 first-round lottery protected pick (#22) to the Nets for shooting guard Bojan Bogdanovic and forward Chris McCullough.
The Nets also had Boston’s first-round pick (Boston has Brooklyn’s), which gave the Nets a second first round pick at No. 27.