This year’s NBA Draft was a smash hit for the league in the ratings as millions tuned in to watch the San Antonio Spurs draft Victor Wembanyama first overall.
According to TV ratings company Nielsen, the first round of the draft on ESPN and ABC averaged a record of 4.928million viewers.
The selection of Wembanyama at first overall was hardly a surprise – with the 7-foot-4 French phenom being the consensus top prospect in this draft class since last summer.
Ratings were particularly high in the beginning of the draft. Around the 8:15pm mark, over six million people had tuned in to watch the Spurs select yet another generational big man – with Wembanyama set to join the likes of David Robinson and Tim Duncan in San Antonio lore.
This draft even surpassed the vaunted 2003 NBA Draft – where LeBron James went first overall and superstars like Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade were selected.
The ratings of the 2023 draft surpassed that of its counterpart from two decades prior by 33 percent.
As a whole, the first and second rounds of the draft drew an average of 3.743million – up 23 percent from last year’s draft where the Orlando Magic selected Paolo Banchero first overall.
Wembanyama has already received the superstar treatment in San Antonio – with hundreds of fans greeting him when he arrived.
The next test of Wembanyama’s drawing power will come in the NBA Summer League beginning in July.
San Antonio will likely roll out their latest superstar in the first game of the league, where the Spurs take on the Charlotte Hornets.
Charlotte drafted controversial talent Brandon Miller with the second overall pick – generating a mixed reaction amongst their fans.
