The NBA Draft 2023 has set a new record for the highest viewership in history, according to Nielsen. The draft’s first round garnered an average of 4,928,000 viewers across ESPN and ABC, a 24% increase from last year’s first round on both platforms. The draft’s peak viewership was achieved in the 8 p.m. ET quarter hour with 6,085,000 viewers. The NBA Draft on ESPN and ABC was the most-watched program of the day across all of television and in all key demographics.
A Drama-less Draft
Despite rumors of massive trades in the first round, the draft remained drama-free, with the selections going pretty much to form. The No.1 pick was decided two months prior to the draft lottery, with France’s multitalented Victor Wembanyama being heralded as the best prospect since LeBron James began tearing up the NBA in 2003-2004. The No.2 and No.3 picks were allegedly coveted by any number of teams, but in the end, the picks went to Alabama’s Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson of the G-League, respectively.
Overall Viewership
The NBA Draft averaged 3,743,000 viewers across ESPN (both rounds) and ABC (first round-only), which is a 23% increase from the previous year. In 2021, the NBA Draft started airing on ESPN and ABC.
Viewership Data
It is important to note that the viewership totals do not include full streaming data due to a Nielsen holiday delay. ESPN and the NBA will make the final viewership number available on Monday, June 26.
The NBA Draft 2023 was a huge success in terms of viewership, setting a new record for the highest viewership in history. Despite rumors of massive trades, the draft remained drama-free, and the picks went to the expected candidates. The NBA and ESPN will release the final viewership number on June 26.