Last Wednesday, the first round of the NBA Draft took place at the Barclays Center. The NBA 2024-25 season rookies showed up in style, displaying the necessary glitz and glamor that the occasion warranted. And while the outfits that the players had on were surely jaw-dropping, the jewelry and the watches on display really attracted eyeballs.
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Rob Dillingham pulled out all the stops as the draft’s #8 pick. He sported a Richard Mille RM 67-01. The watch currently retails at around $178,000.
Considering how much the 19-year-old is on his way to making, a little investment like this isn’t going to break the bank. But Dillingham wouldn’t be able to celebrate his eight-place selection for long as the Spurs traded the former Kentucky guard to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 2031 first-round pick and 2030 pick swap.
Dillingham’s rose gold, automatic, RM 67 was undoubtedly the star of the show, but other draftees also had some classic watches to go along with their fits.
Wizards pick[ 1st round; 2nd pick] Alex Sarr’s watch game appears to be as big as his 7’1 frame as the Frenchman rocked a white-dial IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40, a time-and-date watch with Genta heritage and a big following among sports watch collectors.
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Reed Sheppard is considered by many as the best shooter in the draft, and the 6’1 guard had to match his hype with a timepiece. He chose wisely by wearing the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, a classic watch. Sheppard went 3rd in the draft, being selected by the Houston Rockets, a team that will need his shooting prowess moving forward.
Another interesting watch we got to see was Donovan Clingan’s, Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi”. The Blazers rookie was seen sporting the blue and red dialed watch when his name was called 7th on the list. The former UConn center will be heading into a rebuilding Blazers team, and will hopefully have a career just as bright as the dial of his Rolex.
These expensive suits and watches may seem unjustifiably expensive, but it’s important to remember that within the new CBA rules, the top picks in the draft can make over $57 million throughout four years.
For context, LeBron James, the most hyped draft prospect of all time, got a measly $18.78 million contract for signing with the Cavs as a rookie. But times are changing and checks are getting fatter. So we might witness some glitz and glamor in NBA events as a rule.
