I'm Kelly McEvers and this is Embedded, an NPR podcast where we take a story from the news and go deep.

Every year this happens.

Good evening and welcome to the 2014 NBA Draft at Barkley Center.

With the first pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select LeBron James,

the Chicago Bulls, pick Michael Jordan, O'Brien, to Duncan from what Kevin Gorenz stands for.

The NBA Draft, it is a spectacle.

All these young players who know they're going to get called in the first round are there, fresh haircut, big smiles, designer suits.

And then there's the Commissioner calling out picks in front of a national TV audience.

And in that moment these guys, most of them are 19, 2021, go from being really good players to being really good, well-paid NBA players.

Some even become huge superstars who get the big money, like $20 million a year.

So for the 2015 Draft there's this player named Quinn Cook and he's sure he's going to get called in the second round.

He's just helped Duke win the national championship. He's already talked to two NBA teams.

For the night before the draft they told me that if I was available there they would draft me.

Two teams told me that.

So he gets a bunch of people together to watch the draft on TV at his mom's apartment.

He's on to sisters, mom, their friends, one of Quinn's best friends from childhood who he calls his brother.

They're all sitting around the TV watching the draft and the names start getting called.

The Philadelphia 76ers select.

John Lille Okapur from Duke University.

Quinn's good friend and Duke teammate, Jalille Okapur is picked third to other Duke teammates get drafted in the first round.

Quinn is happy for his friends.

But as they get into the second round he's worried he's not going to get called.

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