Non-sports fans tend to look at you funny when you say you are going to watch the NBA draft. “Really, how could that possibly be entertaining?” But thanks to the advent of the DVR, almost every sports-related event is watchable these days. If you don’t want to sit through 20 minutes discussing the lockout, five jokes about all the power forwards on the Timberwolves roster, and a detailed analysis of whether Cleveland can win a title before LeBron James, then don’t worry. Hit the fast forward button until the good stuff.

But what is the good stuff in an NBA Draft telecast anyhow? Would it be when Jay Bilas raves about all the players?  I’m still waiting for the first player whose arms are not ridiculously long. “He’s only 6’6” which is probably too small to play the post in the NBA, but he has a 6’11” wingspan.”

Will it be when Dick Vitale calls in? Here is my guess. First, Vitale will talk about what a steal some team got by picking Jimmer Fredette with the 13th pick. Then he’ll question how Kyle Singler could possibly still be on the board. “You can’t tell me there are 10 players in America better than Kyle Singler! He is talented, he is committed enough to get his degree, and he is a winner!”

Will it be when Chad Ford or some other NBA draft expert cries foul at the huge mistake some team made? Inevitably, something unpredictable will happen. Perhaps Cory Joseph will be selected with the 20th pick. The announcers will then respond by saying that this is a terrible value in the first round. Of course, the two logical flaws in this argument are the fact that there are almost no sure picks at that point in the draft, and we have no idea if the teams picking 21-25 also coveted Cory Joseph. In reality, it may be the latest he could have been drafted. We will never know what would have happened if a different player was picked at number 20. But that does not stop the experts from assuming that because they had Joseph ranked 38th, that he deserved to go 38th.

Will it be when someone makes the comment that Nolan Smith would be a great 7th player in an NBA rotation? Of course no team drafts a player to be the backup point guard or 7th man. Teams draft players they hope will become stars, and they hope if those players are busts they will become the 7th man. But no team drafts a player thinking the upside is the end of the rotation.

Will it be when Texas coach Rick Barnes tries to out-tweet John Calipari by lauding Jordan Hamilton’s draft selection as a historic moment in Texas basketball history? Will Rick Pitino and John Calipari share an uncomfortable moment avoiding each other in the seating area? Will one or more players admit they can finally buy their mom a house, after she’s been living in a booster’s mansion for the last two years?

Yeah, maybe when people give you a funny look for watching the NBA draft, they have their reasons. The NBA draft is a bizarre animal.  But as Christopher Reina put it, picks 20-60 could be the best in a long-time. (Check out his latest draft preview.) And if you don’t care to see whether JaJuan Johnson falls into a nice situation, or which summer-league team Trey Thompkins will be playing for, then you probably have something else on your DVR anyway.

The NBA draft is like opening day in baseball. All that’s missing is the green grass and actual games. But if you want to dream about tomorrow, and hope that even the Golden State Warriors are one piece away from that NBA Finals run, then tune in Thursday. Somehow I suspect you’ll be biting your nails to see if Marcus Morris is still on the board. Other than winning, the best thing in sports is hope.