2019 NBA Draft: Winners and losers of the draft

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BROOKLYN, NY – JUNE 20: Maria Taylor speaks to Goga Bitadze after he was selected eighteenth overall by the Indiana Pacers during the 2019 NBA Draft on June 20, 2019 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Elizabeth Shrier/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Winner: Post-selection interviews by Maria Taylor

The best part of the draft from a general NBA fan standpoint was undoubtedly the instant reaction interviews with the players who had just been picked. Was there a dry eye left in America after Zion Williamson broke down in tears talking about how great his mother has been to him?

Maria Taylor did a great job asking the best questions that would warrant an emotional response or an honest response from the players. This is especially important in this setting because a lot of these young guys are not really used to being on air live.

Aside from getting tears out of everyone’s favorite draftee, Zion, Taylor was also able to get an emotional response from R.J. Barrett, who was selected by the New York Knicks.

The most touching experience of the whole thing was definitely the interview with Matisse Thybulle after being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers. Thybulle lost his mother to cancer a few years back, but he got emotional speaking about her and what it means to be drafted into the NBA.

It is not always fun being the interviewer in settings like that, but with the players as humble and excited as they were and the reporter doing such a good job, it all turned out to be a huge success.