What’s up r/nba – this is Evan Wasch, Head of Basketball Strategy & Analytics at the NBA! Excited to talk all things NBA In-Season Tournament this Friday at 3:00 PM ET going into more Group Play action. Gather your questions and Ask Me Anything!
Given that it leads to suicidal ideation has the NBA thought about at least eliminating the odious “Everybody Clap Your Hands” ear torture at least during the In-Season Tournament?
Any new plans for the dunk contest this year or does another team need to sign Mac McClung to save it again?
Where did the idea originate from, what are you hoping the in-season tournament will accomplish, and how will you evaluate whether it’s successful?
Would’ve have killed yall to give the Wizards a good court design and uniform for the tourney
What’s it gonna take for Draymond to receive a 25 game suspension? And, why is he allowed to constantly yell and argue with the refs while other players get technicals for minor things like clapping etc
Do you think that draymond and goberts cage match will be at the all star game or off season?
Can you please elaborate on the NBA’s decision to deny Boston’s request to use their classic parquet pattern for the center strip of their IST court?
do you like country fried steak?
I work as a Software Engineer. NBA analytics is my dream, and I think in general Sports is a dream for a lot of people my age. How do you get your start in the field?
If you’re serious, try going the Haralabob route.
I worked as a data scientist at the NBA and have been working in sports since I graduated in college. Now I work at a small sports start up. If you wanna talk, just pm me, I can’t promise much but it’s not at all whatever the people responding to you have been saying lol.
Will the stats from the in-season finals game count towards players’s career/season totals?
Why put it so early into the season? Isn’t there enough excitement about games when the season begins, for me it’s January through February where some games can become a drag. Also would you entertain the idea of making it a single elimination tournament if the league expands to 32 teams?
Is the NBA open to tweaking the tournament format (group draws, schedule, prize/incentive structure) at all or is this the way the tournament is going to look for several years before any changes are considered?
For sure! We’re definitely open to potential changes after we see how this season goes. -Evan
Sweet. I’d love to see the group matchups a league-wide random draw could produce next year!
How long has the In-Season Tournament been in the works before finally coming to fruition this season? Are there any major changes to how it works now compared to when it was pitched?
How did the movie Semi-Pro and the Flint Mega Bowl help your team create a meaningless tournament and award?
How did you get into your role working in the NBA?
I started as an intern in the NBA’s Team Marketing and Business Operations group when I was getting my MBA, and then began full-time after graduating business school in a group that was then called Strategic Development focusing on league-level business strategy. My passion has always been for the game on the court though, and I’ve been fortunate to have my role evolve over time into one that uses those same strategic principles but focuses primarily on basketball. -Evan