It's amazing how much of an extravaganza the NBA Draft Presented by State Farm has become. I'm a fan. There's a sort of the adrenaline rush that comes on NBA Draft night. What was once a relatively low-key event has exploded into a marquee night on the NBA calendar -complete with round-the-clock analysis, live broadcast coverage, and rampant social media chatter from fans around the world. I love seeing my favorite teams get their picks.

As an Official Technology Partner of the NBA for the past decade, Cisco has played a key role in Draft Night's evolution into the international, multimedia showcase that it is today. For the last five NBA Drafts, Cisco technology has powered the NBA's Global Media Circuit, connecting journalists from all over the world to the new Draft picks just moments after their selections.

At this year's Draft, Cisco Webex Meetings was the technology solution of choice to connect the Global Media Circuit and players, including first-round picks Marvin Bagley and Mo Bamba. After arguably the biggest moment of their lives, it's so important that their first encounters with media allow the journalists to not only hear their reactions but see the emotions as well.

Today, in the era of Work Intuitive, Cisco Webex Meetings enables reporters to conduct these interviews from the comfort of their own homes, no matter where they are in the world, using a video device, their personal computer, or even a mobile phone. And with enterprise-level quality, Cisco Webex video conferencing technology allows both parties to feel like they're truly immersed in a lifelike experience.

In a fast-paced environment like the NBA Draft Presented by State Farm, connecting has to be simple and seamless for both journalists and draftees alike. With Cisco Webex Meetings, everyone is able to connect with just a single button to push. The browser-based experience allows first-time users to jump on board in an instant without the hassle of additional downloads or plug-ins.

For a global sports property like the NBA, the ability to deliver a high-quality, "like being there" experience is so important to forging lasting connections between a player and his fanbase. And on one of the biggest nights of the year, the NBA can rest easy knowing that Cisco Webex Meetings is a slam dunk when it comes to efficiency, quality, and productivity.

For more than a decade, the NBA has seen enormous growth in the consumption of digital media with the help of Cisco's technology, which allows the league to bring data and video from the court to fans around the world in real time. Cisco and the NBA are committed to enabling new fan experiences and elevating the way people experience the game they love -at home, on-the-go and in the arena.

Learn more about Webex Meetings.