The Athletic NBA Daily NBA Role Player Draft | Morning Shoot Around
Feb 11, 2026
Four panelists run a playful role-player draft, arguing over eligibility and surprising picks. They debate lineup construction, identify perimeter shooters and defensive glue pieces, and riff on late-round chaos selections. The conversation pivots to recent NBA suspensions and lively proposals to revive the All-Star Weekend competitions.
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Role-Player Draft Rules And Purpose
- The hosts created a role-player draft to highlight complementary, winning NBA supporting players.
- They framed strict rules: no current all-star candidates and “role player” is judged based on right now.
Air Bud Story Sets Playful Tone
- Andrew jokes about Air Bud and a player with a heartwarming backstory being removed from draft contention.
- The hosts used lighthearted banter to set a playful tone for the draft.
Use Current Season To Define Role Players
- Define ‘role player’ by the present season, not career history, before drafting.
- Use that definition to accept or veto picks that have become primary contributors.