NEW YORK – The lights were bright on Wednesday in the Big Apple, but they will be a little brighter Thursday night, as the 2019 NBA Draft will take place at the Barclays Center with a former Hokie inside.
.@TheReal_NAW1 is in the Big Apple & ready to roll 🤙#NBADraft | #Hokies🦃pic.twitter.com/sfz0Iy2OSL
— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) June 19, 2019
Outgoing sophomore guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker got his first taste of the professional life this afternoon, participating in a press conference and a community outreach program with other future lottery picks.
His day started at the hotel he was staying in, the Grand Hyatt New York at Grand Central Terminal, taking the elevator down to the main lobby and making the stroll to the Manhattan Ballroom, where media set up shop to ask the Toronto native questions heading into arguably the biggest day of his life tomorrow with some fire shoes on.
🔥🔥🔥
— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) June 19, 2019
So fresh 'n' so clean@TheReal_NAW1's shoe game 💪#NBADraft | #Hokies🦃pic.twitter.com/uq89o1ini5
After Kentucky's Tyler Herro left the podium in the first 30-mimute session, Alexander-Walker sat down next and was fielded questions left and right about his love of the game, Canada basketball and what he might be wearing tomorrow for his decked-out suit. Not fazed, Alexander-Walker handled the questions with poise and proceed to represent Virginia Tech all so well, just like he has the last two years in Blacksburg.
"To see that smile on my mom's face when they say my name is all I want to see."@TheReal_NAW1 of @HokiesMBB is in New York City for tomorrow's #NBADraft!
— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) June 19, 2019
🏀: 2019 #NBADraft presented by State Farm
📆: June 20
⏰: 7pm/et 📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/Sj3IvU0mTF
Following a quick bite to eat, Alexander-Walker and the other 15-plus players who will hear the commissioner, Adam Silver, say their names tomorrow night took a bus to Basketball City, a huge building with numerous courts for New York City's youth.
The players split up into two groups to teach instructional drills and partake in packing gift bags and writing notes, which was a part of the NBA Cares Packing Project and Jr. NBA Clinic. Doing a little both of both for 30 minutes, Alexander-Walker's specific drills were defense, working on being in an athletic stance and moving laterally quickly, while assisting the kids with writing notes to the military.
This afternoon, @TheReal_NAW1 taught some drills & wrote letters via @nbacares with the Jr. NBA along with other top prospects at @BasketballCity👏#NBADraft | #Hokies🦃pic.twitter.com/7jDqxPHLAU
— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) June 20, 2019
Now, with the day coming to a close, Alexander-Walker will head into tomorrow for the draft, taking place at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and the WatchESPN app. He is hoping to become the first Hokie selected in the first round since 1986, when Dell Curry was selected 15th overall to the Utah Jazz.
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Gallery: (6/19/2019) 2019 NBA DRAFT