I generally understand the process for the teams’ draft order, but clueless about the players’ side. Like how are players selected for the drafting list, are professional players with expired contracts eligible for that list, can teams just sign contracts with players before or without going through the draft etc.?
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The drafts only include players coming out of college or foreign players who have not been drafted (NBA) coming into the league for the first time. Any college player who graduates or completes their eligibility is automatically eligible, otherwise players can declare to enter the draft. In the NBA, players can declare for the draft any time after their first year of college (or a year after graduating from high school). For the NFL, players can declare for the draft after 3 years of college or post-graduation from high school.
Leagues typically hold workouts called combines for players likely to be drafted to be scouted, where they may do physical tests like sprints, jumping and bench presses, as well as show off sport-related skills like throwing/catching a ball or shooting.
Players who are eligible for the draft but go undrafted can then sign with any team as an undrafted free agent. Players cannot sign with a team prior to the draft.
Veteran players are not part of the draft. Players with expired contracts are just free agents.
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