Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Isaiah Austin and ESPN were the big winners with the NBA draft on Thursday night.
ESPN’s exclusive coverage of the pro hoop league’s player selection process on June 26, tallied a 2.3 household rating and 3.45 million viewers, making it the sport giant’s best ever performance with the event and the most-watched NBA Draft across all networks since 3.62 million watched on TNT in 1996 according to Nielsen.
The deliveries –driven by Wiggins and Parker being the top two selections respectively -- represented 15% gains from 2.0 rating and just under 3 million viewers for last year’s telecast.
The draft was also highlighted by NBA commissioner selecting Baylor sophomore center Austin between the 15th and 16th picks – he was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects the heart. It ended his playing career.
