NBA/USA: a record 4.93 million viewers for the first round of the 2023 Draft on ESPN & ABC

The first round of the 2023 NBA Draft presented by State Farm drew an average of 4.93 million viewers, with a peak of 6.09 million on the pay-TV channel ESPN and the free-TV channel ABC (part of the American TV group ESPN, owned by The Walt Disney Company) in the United States on Thursday 22/06/2023 (start time 20:00 ET, 02:00 CET), according to data from the American institute Nielsen communicated by ESPN on 23/06/2023.

This represents a 24% increase compared to the audience for the first round of the 2022 draft, also broadcast on ABC and ESPN. In total, an average of 3.74 million viewers watched the first two rounds on ESPN and the first round on ABC. It was the most-watched draft in US history.

During the draft, Victor Wembanyama (19, 2.21 metres) was selected first overall by the San Antonio Spurs, becoming the first French basketball player to be No. 1 in an NBA draft.

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