It's called a draft, but it doesn't blow by anymore, ever since ESPN assumed coverage of the event a decade ago. While it's no multiple-day marathon, like its NFL equivalent, four hours is still such a serious time commitment that you almost need "athleticism" to watch until the end - or at least excellent "intangibles." As for the awkward and immediate post-pick interviews, they have virtually no "upside."
Still, there's something to be said for seeing it through. Last year's saving grace was that the fella besides Barkley who's funniest when he's frank, Jeff Van Gundy, grew as grumpy as we did at the plodding pace. It's also worth mentioning that the last man standing in 2011, Isaiah Thomas, the sixtieth selection, was at least a ruby-in-the-rough (diamond would be an exaggeration), averaging 11.5 ppg in 65 games for Sacramento, higher than fellow first-year King Jimmer Fredette, who was taken 50 spots ahead of Thomas. Since there could be another late-round discovery, we'll take the Stuart Scott approach to the draft: we'll keep one eye on it*.
*Scott will now be doing this from home because he was booted from the broadcast.
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