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NBA Draft 2024 live stream: Can you watch for free?

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For the first time in 35 years, the 2024 NBA Draft will be split into multiple days. The first round takes place on Wednesday, June 25, while the second round will be on Thursday.

Round 1 (Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. ET start time) will be televised on both ESPN and ABC, while Round 2 (Thursday, 4 p.m. ET start time) will be on ESPN. But if you don’t have cable and want to stream NBA without cable, here are all the best ways you can watch a live stream of the NBA draft for free or cheap.

Is there a free NBA Draft 2024 live stream?

Fubo splash screen on a TV.
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

There are three different ways you can watch a free live stream of the 2024 NBA Draft: Fubo (“Pro” channel package), YouTube TV (“Base Plan”) or DirecTV Stream (“Entertainment” channel package or above). All of these live-TV streaming services include both ABC (live in most markets) and ESPN, and all of them come with a free trial.

The Fubo free trial is seven days, while YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream each give you five days for free. For all of them, you’ll need a credit card when signing up, but as long as you cancel your subscription before the trials come to an end, you won’t be charged. Everything that’s included in a normal subscription is available during the trial, so you’ll be able to watch both days of the draft live at no cost.

Watch the NBA Draft 2024 live stream on Sling TV

Sling TV on Apple TV.
Sling TV

All three of the aforementioned streaming services can get a bit pricey beyond the free trial, so if you’ve exhausted all of those options, Sling TV is a nice alternative. The “Sling Orange” comes with ESPN–which is all you need to watch both days of the draft–and it costs just $20 for your first month.

There’s no free trial with Sling, but at that price point, it’s worth trying out for a month, especially if you’re wanting to watch the draft.

Watch the NBA Draft 2024 live stream from abroad

NordVPN app listing on Apple TV.
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

A virtual private network (VPN) is a good service to have simply because it offers security and privacy while online. But it can also help in streaming content from abroad, as it hides your location/IP address and connects you to a digital server in your country of choice, allowing you to access content as if you were actually physically located in that country. As such, even if you’re outside the US, you can use a VPN to connect to Fubo, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream or Sling TV.

Though there are plenty of good VPN’s that will work here, we’ll mention NordVPN, which tops our list of the best VPN services. It’s safe, fast and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to try it out risk-free.

Tim Keeney
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Tim is a long-time sports journalist who has written about everything from the NFL to more popular sports such as chess…
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