Most of us have probably felt the disappointment of not being picked for a sports team in high school. Now imagine that, only the selection process is on national television, all your friends & family are with you waiting for a call that's never coming, and you have to watch as everyone else in the pool is picked over you, and that's probably how it feels to go undrafted. Every year, hundreds of college athletes declare for the draft with the hopes of going pro in their sport of choice. However, with a limited number of draft selections available, not all of them will make the cut and find themselves on a team by the end of the draft. The NBA is no stranger to this, as with only 60 picks in each draft, plenty of prospects go undrafted each year. That's not to say that someone's NBA dreams are dead if they don't get picked, as plenty of undrafted players from various draft classes end up making it to the NBA, with some even having lengthy, successful careers for themselves. Today, I'm going through every draft class since 2000 and giving my picks for the best undrafted player from each year. Just to clarify, players will count for the year they went undrafted, not the year they debuted. For example, Joe Ingles debuted in the NBA in 2014, but he was undrafted in 2009, so he'll count for 2009. With that out of the way, this is The Best Undrafted Player From Each Draft Since 2000.
2000: Ime Udoka
The 2000 draft class is notorious for being absolute ass, and it doesn't get much better when it comes to the undrafted player pool. In fact, out of the 10 undrafted players, only three of them had a decently lengthed career, and the best of them was Ime Udoka. Originally beginning his collegiate career with San Francisco, the little-used Udoka transferred after his freshman year to Portland State, where he averaged 14.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 40% from the field and 31% from three-point range. After going undrafted in 2000, Udoka would spend the next three years playing in smaller US-basketball leagues, overseas with Club Sportivo Independiente in Argentina, and two stints with the D-League's North Charleston (later just Charleston) Lowgators.
Udoka got his first taste of the NBA in 2004 when he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, playing in four games before being waived. He'd return to the Lowgators for the rest of the season before returning overseas, playing in Spain & France until 2005. He'd return to the D-League with the Fort Worth Flyers before being signed by the New York Knicks in 2006, playing in eight games before being released again. Udoka would sign with the Portland Trail Blazers the following offseason, playing his first full season, starting all 75 games he played, and averaging 8.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game while shooting 46% from the field and 41% from three-point range. Udoka would sign with the San Antonio Spurs the following summer, playing two seasons as a reserve player and averaging 5.1 points and 3 rebounds per game while shooting 41% from the field and 35% from three-point range. He'd sign with the Sacramento Kings in 2009 for one season before returning to the Spurs for his final NBA season.
Udoka was waived by San Antonio in 2010, and after being signed & cut by the New Jersey Nets, returned to Spain playing with UCAM Murcia CB before retiring in 2012. He'd finish his NBA career with averages of 5.2 points and 2.9 rebounds per game while shooting 42% from the field and 36% from three-point range
2001: Andrés Nocioni
The 2001 draft class had a couple of decent options to pick, such as Charlie Bell, Carlos Arroyo, and Jamario Moon, but Andrés Nocioni gets the edge, in my opinion. Nocioni began is professional career in 1996 with Olimpia de Venado Tuerto in his native Argentina. Nocioni would take his talents to Spain, playing with three different clubs over four years. After going undrafted in 2001, Nocioni remained in Spain with Tau Cerámica (Saski Baskonia), who he played with for a season in 1999, playing there for three seasons and winning the Spanish League MVP in 2004, along with being selected to All-EuroLeague Second Team twice and the All-Spanish League team in 2004.
Nocioni would sign with the Chicago Bulls in the summer of 2004, quickly becoming a fixture of the rotation. In the four and a half seasons Nocioni would play with the Bulls, he'd average 11.7 points and 5 rebounds per game while shooting 44% from the field and 37% from three-point range. In 2009, Nocioni would be shipped to the Sacramento Kings in a six-player trade, where he'd spend the next season and a half. Nocioni would be traded again in the 2010 offseason to the Philadelphia 76ers for Samuel Dalembert. He'd play there until 2012 when he was released, returning to Spain for five years before retiring in 2017. His NBA career would end with career averages of 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting 43% from the field and 37% from three-point range.
2002: Udonis Haslem
2002 would also field some solid undrafted players. Jannero Pargo, a man who's highlights got us through quarantine, Reggie Evans, a man famous for one thing and one thing only, were there, but it would be hard to pick anyone over Udonis Haslem. The 72nd ranked prospect in 1998 according to the Recruiting Services Consensus Index (RSCI), Haslem was a four-year player at Flordia, playing until 2002 and averaging 16 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while shooting 56% from the field, earning an All-SEC 1st Team selection in the process. After going undrafted in 2002, Haslem would travel to France, spending one season with Chalon-sur-Saône.
Haslem would sign with the Miami Heat in the summer of 2003 and hasn't looked back. Haslem has played all 17 seasons of his NBA career with the Heat and is still signed with the Heat in 2021, although he has yet to play this season. In that time, Haslem was named to the All-Rookie 2nd Team in 2004, and is a three-time NBA champion, winning with the Heat in 2006, 2012, and 2013. As of 2021, Haslem has career averages of 7.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting 49% from the field.
2003: José Calderón
Considering how great the 2003 draft class is, it's not surprising that the undrafted player pool isn't great. There are two players who could really be considered for this spot, and while Marquis Daniels had a decent career, I'm giving the nod to José Calderón. Beginning his professional career in 1998, Calderón would spend seven years playing in his native Spain. It was during his three-year stint with Tau Cerámica, during which he was teammates with Andrés Nocioni, that he declared for the 2003 Draft, but went undrafted.
Calderón finished out his tenure with Tau Cerámica (Saski Baskonia) in 2005, being named to the All-Spanish League team, before signing with the Toronto Raptors. Calderón played with the Raptors for seven and a half seasons, becoming a regular starter by third season, and averaged 10 points and 7.2 assists per game while shooting 48% from the field and 39% from three-point range. Calderón would be traded in 2013 to the Detroit Pistons in the three-team trade that sent Rudy Gay to the Raptors, where he'd play for the rest of the season. Calderón would play with the Dallas Mavericks for a season before being traded to the New York Knicks in a six-player, two-pick trade that sent Tyson Chandler to the Mavericks. He'd spend two years with the Knicks, averaging 8.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 44% from the field and 41% from three-point range, before being traded in 2016 to the Chicago Bulls in the Derrick Rose trade, who quickly traded him to the Lakers.
Calderón would continue to play in the NBA until 2019, playing for four teams over three seasons, ending his career with the Pistons. His career would end with averages of 8.9 points and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 47% from the field and 41% from three-point range. Calderón also finds himself in the NBA record books, as his 98.1% free throw percentage from the 2008-09 season is the best in NBA history. And of course, Calderón's existence also gave us the incredible meme where Google confused him for the children of the founder of convenient store chain and Coca-Cola bottling group FEMSA and listed his net worth as $2.2 billion.
2004: Damien Wilkins
The pool for the 2004 draft is not good. The only one who had a lengthy career was Damien Wilkins, the nephew of Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins. The 11th ranked prospect in 1999 by RSCI, Wilkins attended North Carolina State for two seasons, averaging 11.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 41% from the field and 30% from three-point range. Initially declaring for the 2001 draft, Wilkins instead transferred to Georgia, where he played out the final two years of his eligibility, ending with a senior year where he averaged 12.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 41% from the field and 32% from three-point range.
After going undrafted in 2004, Wilkins impressed during the summer league and preseason, earning a contract with the Seattle SuperSonics. Wilkins would spend the first five seasons of his career with the SuperSonics (later the Oklahoma City Thunder) as a rotation player, averaging 7.6 points and 2.6 rebounds per game while shooting 42% from the field and 34% from three-point range. Wilkins would be traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2009 offseason. Wilkins would play for four more seasons in the NBA with four different teams, ending this stint with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2013.
Wilkins would spend the next five years playing overseas in China, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela, along with several stints in the D-League (later the G-League). He'd return to the NBA in the summer of 2017, signing with the Indiana Pacers before being released after 19 games and one start. He'd return to the G-League with the Greensboro Swarm before retiring in 2018. He ended his career with averages of 6.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting 43% from the field and 33% from three-point range.
2005: Alan Anderson
2005 was kind of in the same boat as 2004, but it has some solid possibilities. Chuck Hayes had a decent little career, while Kelenna Azubuike looked to have a promising career ahead of him before a patellar tendon tear derailed that. In the end, I've gone with Alan Anderson for this year. Coming out of high school as the 30th ranked prospect in 2001 by RSCI, Anderson would attend Michigan State for four years, averaging 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and a steal per game while shooting 56% from the field and 39% from three-point range.
Despite going undrafted in 2005, Anderson would sign with the Charlotte Bobcats that summer. Anderson would play with the Bobcats for two seasons, primarily coming off the bench and averaging 5.8 points and 1.9 rebounds per game while shooting 43% from the field and 37% from three-point range. During his final season, he'd be released early in the season, only to be brought back after a stint in the D-League with the Tulsa 66ers. Following this stint, Anderson would play overseas, playing in Italy, Russia, Croatia, Israel, Spain, and China, and in the D-League for six years.
Midway through the 2011-12, Anderson signed with the Toronto Raptors, spending a season and a half with the team and averaging 10.4 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. He'd sign with the Brooklyn Nets, playing there for two seasons and averaging 7.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game while shooting 42% from the field and 34% from three-point range. Anderson would play two more seasons in the NBA, one with the Washington Wizards before playing his final season with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2017. He'd spend one final season with the G-League's Lakeland Magic in 2018 before retiring. He'd end his career with averages of 7.3 points and 2.2 rebounds per game while shooting 41% from the field
2006: JJ Barea
2006 was a two-man race for this spot, but, while CJ Watson was a solid role player, there's no way I couldn't give it to JJ Barea. Beginning his professional career in 2001 with Indios de Mayagüez in his native Puerto Rico, Barea was only 16 years old at the time. He would move to Florida during his senior year of high school, eventually graduating and attending Northeastern. Barea was fantastic in college, averaging 20.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 40% from the field and 32% from three-point range in his four years at Northeastern, winning the Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year as a senior. After going undrafted in 2006, Barea would head back to Puerto Rico for a season, playing for Cangrejeros de Santurce, before catching the eye of the NBA.
Originally playing for the Golden State Warriors' 2006 Summer League team, Barea later joined the Dallas Mavericks squad, earning a multi-year contract that same summer. Barea would spend the first five seasons of his career in Dallas, averaging 7.1 points and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 44% from the field and 36% from three-point range. During his first season with the team, Barea would also spend time with the D-League's Fort Worth Flyers. It was during his final season in his first stint with the Mavericks where Barea gained some big recognition. Along with averaging career-highs in points & assists per game, Barea received high praise from both Phil Jackson & Kobe Bryant after a series with the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 2011 playoffs, during which Barea took some hard shots from Ron Artest and Andrew Bynum. During the NBA Finals, Barea proved to be a key player, coming through big in Games 5 & 6, and becoming an NBA Champion when the Mavericks upset the Miami Heat and the Big Three.
Despite the success, negotiations with Dallas fell through that summer, and Barea would sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Barea took on a larger role during his three years in Minnesota and averaged 10.1 points and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 40% from the field and 34% from three-point range. A fan-favorite among the Mavericks fan base, Barea would return to Dallas in 2014, where he would play for the rest of his NBA career so far. In the six seasons that made up Barea's second stint with the Mavericks, he averaged 10 points and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 43% from the field and 36% from three-point range. Barea's time with the Mavericks came to an end this summer, as he traveled to Spain and signed with Estudiantes. As a show of appreciation for Barea, the Mavericks re-signed him before cutting him, meaning he'd still receive $2.6 million this year. As of 2021, Barea's career averages stand at 8.9 points and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 42% from the field and 35% from three-point range.
2007: Mirza Teletović
2007 really didn't have many good options, so I'm going with Mirza Teletović, a man who had a brief, but decent career in the league. Beginning his professional career in 2002, Teletović spent the first 10 years of his professional career playing in Europe, specifically in his native Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, and Spain. It was after his first season in Spain with Saski Baskonia that Teletović declared for the 2007 draft, but wasn't selected. Teletović continued to play with Saski Baskonia until 2012, where he averaged 21.7 points and 6 rebounds per game while shooting 44% from the field and 43% from three-point range.
Teletović finally made the jump to the NBA at age 27, signing with the Brooklyn Nets and playing there for three seasons. During that time, Teletović slowly worked his way into the rotation and averaged 7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 40% from the field and 36% from three-point range. Teletović would leave the Nets in 2015, spending one season with the Phoenix Suns before signing with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2016. Teletović spent two seasons with the Bucks, averaging 6.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting 38% from the field and 36% from three-point range. Unfortunately, it was during his final season with Milwaukee that he developed pulmonary emboli, a blockage of the arteries in the lung (or in Teletović's case, both lungs), forcing him to retire in 2018. He ended his career with career averages of 8.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 41% from the field and 37% from three-point range.
2008: Timofey Mozgov
As a Cavaliers fan, I'll always have a soft spot for Timofey Mozgov, and while Anthony Morrow is a decent role player, I'm sticking with my boy, here. Beginning his career in 2004, Mozgov spent the first six years of his career playing in his native Russia, playing for three different teams. During what would end up being the first stint of his career with Khimki that Mozgov entered the 2008 draft, but was not selected. He'd continue playing with Khimki until 2010.
Mozgov would join the NBA in 2010, signing with the New York Knicks. He'd only spend half a season with the Knicks, during which he was immortalized in the worst way when Blake Griffin posterized him without even touching the rim, before being shipped to the Denver Nuggets as part of the Carmelo Anthony trade. Mozgov would spend around four seasons with the Nuggets, averaging 6.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting 52% from the field, and giving us this amazing chyron gaff.
He'd be traded in 2015 to the Cleveland Cavaliers. While he'd only spend a season and a half with the Cavs, it was here that Mozgov became an NBA Champion when Cleveland beat Golden State. Mozgov would spend two more seasons in the NBA, one with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Brooklyn Nets (where he would basically commit robbery), be heading back to Russia to play with Khimki once again. As of 2021, his career averages are 6.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while shooting 54% from the field.
2009: Wesley Matthews
2009 has a few quality role players like Garrett Temple & Aron Baynes, and Joe Ingles would be a more than-worthy pick, but Wesley Matthews is taking this spot for me. The 61st ranked high school prospect in 2005 by RSCI, Matthews attended Marquette for all four years of his eligibility. In his senior year, Matthews would average 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 48% from the field and 37% from three-point range. Despite putting up those numbers against strong competition, and Marquette's success during that time, Matthews went undrafted in 2009.
After playing for both the Utah Jazz and the Sacramento Kings in the Summer League, Matthews would sign a one-year deal with the Jazz. Matthews would actually get a big role with the Jazz, becoming the starting shooting guard after Ronnie Brewer was traded midseason. Matthews' quick rise earned him a five-year, $34 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazers that summer. Originally a back-up to Brandon Roy, Roy's knee injuries allowed Matthews to become the starting shooting guard. In those five years, Matthews averaged 15.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 44% from the field and 39% from three-point range.
Matthews would depart for the Dallas Mavericks in 2015, where'd he play for three and a half seasons and averaged 12.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and a steal per game while shooting 40% from the field and 37% from three-point range. He'd be traded in 2019 in the middle of the season to the New York Knicks as part of the Kristaps Porziņģis deal, only appearing in two games before being cut. He'd sign with the Indiana Pacers for the rest of the season. Since then, Matthews has played one season with the Milwaukee Bucks and now finds himself on the Los Angeles Lakers. For his career, Matthews holds averages of 12.8 points, 3 rebounds, and a steal per game while shooting 42% from the field and 38% from three-point range.
2010: Jeremy Lin
Ish Smith is a more than reliable role player, but for 2010, it's hard to pick anyone other than Jeremy Lin. After sending highlights to every Ivy League school along with California, Stanford, and UCLA, Lin would attend Harvard and played for all four years of his eligibility. In his final season, Lin would average 16.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.4 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 52% from the field and 34% from the field, and would be named to the All-Ivy League 1st Team for the second time. Lin would go undrafted in 2010, but would quickly find his to the NBA.
After impressing as a member of the Dallas Mavericks' Summer League team, Lin joined the Golden State Warriors, becoming the first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to play in the NBA. In his rookie season, Lin mostly rode the bench, appearing in 29 games and playing under 10 minutes per game. Lin would also have multiple stints with the D-League's Reno Bighorns during his rookie season. Following his rookie season, Lin would be waived and, after being signed and waived during the preseason by the Rockets, signed with the New York Knicks. It was in New York where Linsanity was born.
On February 4th, 2012, Lin would go from bench player to starting point guard and shockingly lead the Knicks over the Nets with a career-high 25 points, the beginning of a seven-game win streak where he took the league by storm, averaging 24.4 points, 4 rebounds, 9.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 51% from the field. Lin would hold the starting spot until a meniscus tear ended his season. While he chilled following that seven-game stretch, Lin was still an above-average player, averaging 14.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 45% from the field and 32% from three-point range. You had to be there.
Lin left the Knicks in free agency that summer, signing with the Houston Rockets. Lin would play two seasons in Houston, averaging 13 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 44% from the field and 35% from three-point range. Lin would be traded in the summer of 2014 to the Los Angeles Lakers, playing there for a season before signing with the Charlotte Hornets for a season the following year. In 2016, Lin signed with the Brooklyn Nets, playing two injury-plagued seasons and averaging 14.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 44% from the field and 37% from three-point range. He'd be traded to the Atlanta Hawks in 2018, but he'd be cut during the season. He'd sign with the Toronto Raptors that same year, winning an NBA Championship in the process.
As of 2021, this was his last season in the NBA. He'd sign with the Beijing Ducks in China in 2019 and currently plays for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G-League, putting him back in the Warriors farm system where he began his professional career. As of 2021, his career averages sit at 11.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 43% from the field and 34% from three-point range
2011: Justin Holiday
Unlike most of the other years, The 2011 draft class has one clear pick for the best undrafted player, and that's Justin Holiday. Unranked coming out of high school in 2007, Holiday would attend Washington. Playing out all four years of eligibility, Holiday would end his collegiate career in 2011, averaging 10.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 46% from the field and 36% from three-point range. After going undrafted in 2011, Holiday traveled to Belgium, playing with Okapi Aalstar for one season before returning to the United States. After being signed and cut twice in the summer of 2012 (once by the Cavaliers and once by the Trail Blazers), Holiday joined the Idaho Stampede of the D-League.
It was during the end of that season that Holiday was signed by the Philadelphia 76ers, playing in nine games. Holiday would be waived before the next season, and after being signed and waived by the Jazz, headed back overseas to play for Szolnoki Olajbányász in Hungary. Holiday returned to the NBA in 2014, signing with the Golden State Warriors. Primarily a bench player, Holiday would win an NBA Championship with the Warriors in his one season with the team. Holiday would then move to the Atlanta Hawks the following offseason, get traded to the Chicago Bulls in a three-team trade midway through the season, then traded to the New York Knicks that summer in the Derrick Rose deal, then sign with the Bulls again in 2017. It was during his second stint with the Bulls that he'd have his best statistical years, averaging 11.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game.
Midway through the 2018-19 season, Holiday was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, where he'd finish out the season. Holiday would sign with the Indiana Pacers that summer, and he has played there ever since. In his two seasons with the Pacers so far, Holiday has averaged 9.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 44% from the field and 41% from three-point range. His career averages currently sit at 8.4 points, 3 rebounds, and a steal per game while shooting 40% from the field and 37% from three-point range.
2012: JaMychal Green
It's a two-man race for 2012, and instead of Kent Bazemore, I'm going with a player I've already written about on this blog, JaMychal Green. The 17th ranked prospect in 2008 by RSCI, Green would attend Alabama for all four years of his eligibility. During his college career, Green would average 13.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 52% from the field, and was selected to both the All-SEC 1st team and 2nd team once each. Green would go undrafted in the 2012 draft, and after being signed and cut by the Spurs, joined the Austin Toros in the D-League for one season. After being signed and waived by the Clippers in the summer of 2013, Green headed overseas, playing one season with French team Chorale Roanne.
After rejoining the Toros (now the Austin Spurs) following another sign-then-waive situation with the Spurs, Green would finally play an NBA game after the Spurs signed him to a 10-day contract. Green would play in just four games with the Spurs. After not being given a second 10-day contract, Green was picked up by the Memphis Grizzlies for the remainder of the season. Green would go from a bench player to the regular starter in Memphis, playing with the team between 2015 and 2019 and averaging 8.5 points and 6 rebounds per game while shooting 48% from the field and 36% from three-point range.
Green would be traded to the Los Angeles Clippers midway through the 2018-19 season, spending a season and a half with the team and averaging 7.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting 45% from the field and 39% from three-point range. This past summer, Green would sign with the Denver Nuggets. His career averages sit at 8.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting 47% from the field and 38% from three-point range.
2013: Robert Covington
Anybody who reads this blog knows I love Matthew Dellavedova. I really wanted to give this to Matthew Dellavedova. However, it's hard to ignore the contributions of Robert Covington. There are plenty of solid options for 2013, such as Seth Curry, Daniel Theis, or Dewayne Dedmon, but Covington easily takes the cake. Covington would attend Tennessee State for four years. In his final two seasons, Covington would average a combined 17.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 49% from the field and 42% from three-point range, and would make the All-Ohio Valley Conference 1st team as a junior and the 2nd team as a senior.
After going undrafted in 2013, Covington would impress the Houston Rockets enough in the Summer League to earn a contract. Primarily playing with Houston's D-League affiliate the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, where he was a D-League All-Star, Covington played in just seven games with the Rockets in his rookie season and was released just before the next season. Covington would join the Philadelphia 76ers shortly after the 2014-15 season started. Despite his limited NBA experience, Covington's G-League success earned him a big role in the 76ers rotation, and he made the most of it, averaging 12.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 40% from the field and 36% from three-point range in his four and a half seasons with the team. Additionally, Covington would be named to the All-Defensive 1st Team in his final season with the team.
Covington's time with the 76ers came to an end early in the 2018-19 season, as he was shipped to the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of the Jimmy Butler trade. He'd play a total of 70 games for the Timberwolves over two seasons before being traded back to the Rockets in a four-team trade in 2020. This past summer, Covington left the Rockets and signed with the Portland Trail Blazers. For his career, Covington has averaged 12.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 40% from the field and 35% from three-point range.
2014: Tyler Johnson
2014 is another two-man race, but I'm giving the edge to everyone's favorite Mose from the Office lookalike Tyler Johnson over Maxi Kleber. Johnson would attend Fresno State, playing out all four years of eligibility with the Bulldogs. In his senior year, Johnson would average 15.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and a steal per game while shooting 48% from the field and 43% from three-point range, and was named to the All-Mountain West Conference 2nd team. After going undrafted in 2014, Johnson joined the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the D-League after being signed and cut by the Miami Heat that summer.
Johnson would re-join the Heat midway through the 2014-15 season and would play with the team until 2019. In that time, Johnson gradually became a serious rotation player and averaged 11 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting 44% from the field and 37% from three-point range. Midway through the 2018-19 season, Johnson was shipped to the Phoenix Suns. He'd play in 44 games with the Suns over two seasons before being cut in 2020. Johnson would join the Brooklyn Nets for the NBA Bubble that same year and re-signed that offseason. His career averages currently sit at 10.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while shooting 43% from the field and 36% from three-point range.
2015: Christian Wood
2015 has few good picks TJ McConnell & Royce O'Neale, but Christian Wood is the easy choice. Ranked 43rd coming out of high school in 2013 by RSCI, Wood would attend UNLV for two years. In his sophomore year, Wood would average 15.7 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 50% from the field, and made the All-Mountian West Conference 1st team. Wood would forego his final two years of eligibility to declare for the 2015 draft. Originally projected to be a late first-round pick, Wood would slide down mock drafts to the second round, and eventually completely off the board. Wood went undrafted in 2015.
Luckily, Wood would quickly sign with the Philadelphia 76ers after the Summer League. Wood's rookie season would see him split time between the 76ers and the D-League's Delaware 87ers before being cut by the 76ers after 17 games. Wood joined the 87ers full-time before being signed by the 76ers once again for the rest of the season. Wood would sign with the Charlotte Hornets in the summer of 2016, once again splitting time between the pro roster and the D-League with Charlotte's affiliate the Greensboro Swarm. He'd play in 13 total games with the Hornets before returning to the 87ers for the 2017-18 season.
In the summer of 2018, Wood signed with the Milwaukee Bucks, playing in 13 games before being cut. He'd sign with the New Orleans Pelicans two days later. It was with the Pelicans that Wood would get his first real chance to play in the NBA. In eight games, Wood played 23.6 minutes per game and averaged 16.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 53% from the field. Despite that, Wood was cut by the Pelicans that summer. Wood signed with the Detroit Pistons in 2019 as a rotation player but closed out the year with a five-game stretch where he averaged 26.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game while shooting 62% from the field and 44% from three before COVID-19 shut down the league. He'd sign with the Houston Rockets this past summer, where he was playing his best basketball before an ankle injury shut him down, averaging 22 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 56% from the field and 42% from three-point range. For his career so far, Wood has averages of 11.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 55% from the field and 38% from three-point range. It took a while to get here, but the future looks very bright for Christian Wood.
2016: Fred VanVleet
Lot of solid role players in the 2016 pool like Danuel House, Dorian Finney-Smith, and David Nwaba, but Fred VanVleet stands tall above them all. VanVleet attended Wichita State for four years and was a standout for the Shockers. In his final three years at Wichita State, VanVleet averaged 12.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 46% from the field and 38% from three-point range, along with being named to the All-Mountian Valley Conference 1st team each year, and won MVC Player of the Year in 2014 and 2016.
After going undrafted in 2016, VanVleet quickly found his way onto the Toronto Raptors after impressing in the Summer League. Since signing in 2016, VanVleet has played all five seasons of his NBA career with the Raptors, while also spending time with the D-League's Raptors 905 in his rookie season. VanVleet has progressed from bench player as a rookie to regular rotation player and now finds himself as the team's starting shooting guard. For his career so far, VanVleet holds averages of 11.7 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 41% from the field and 39% from three-point range. Additionally, VanVleet won an NBA Championship in 2019 and, just this season, set the record for the most points scored by an undrafted player with 54 against the Magic
2017: Chris Boucher
Going from one member of the Toronto Raptors to another, 2017 is pretty cut and dry: Chris Boucher is the best undrafted player from that year's draft class. Boucher would first attend Nex Mexico Junior College in 2014 and then Northwest College, where he won the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Player of the Year, in 2015 before transferring to Oregon, playing there for the final two years of his eligibility. In those two years, Boucher averaged 12 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 53% from the field and 34% from three-point range, and would be named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive team in both years. Unfortunately, a torn ACL he sustained his senior year prevented him from working out for teams in 2017, and he'd go undrafted.
Boucher would sign a two-way deal with the Golden State Warriors that summer. Primarily playing with the G-League's Santa Cruz Warriors, Boucher was called up for a single game in 2018, grabbing one rebound. Despite his very brief run with the team, he'd still earn himself an NBA Championship. Boucher would sign with the Toronto Raptors that summer, once again primarily playing in the G-League with Raptors 905 and only playing in 28 games for Toronto. It was in the G-League that Boucher shined, winning both the G-League MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in 2019. And once again, Boucher's lack of playing time didn't stop him from winning his second NBA Championship Boucher rejoined Toronto full-time the next season, and this season find himself firmly cemented as the team's sixth man. For his career so far, Boucher has averaged 7.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 49% from the field and 38% from three.
2018: Duncan Robinson
2018 has a couple of solid options like Jae'Sean Tate and Kendrick Nunn, but it's Nunn's Miami Heat teammate Duncan Robinson who's getting the spot. Not highly sought after in high school, Robinson would attend Division III school Williams College in Massachusetts. After averaging 17.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game and shooting 56% from the field and 45% from three-point range as a freshman, Robinson transferred to Michigan, reportedly becoming the first D-III player to transfer to Division I with a full scholarship. After sitting out a year, Robinson played out the final three years of his eligibility, averaging 9.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game while shooting 46% from the field and 42% from three-point range and winning the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year as a senior.
After going undrafted in 2018, Robinson would sign a two-way deal with the Miami Heat after the Summer League. Playing in just 15 games his rookie season, even starting one of them, Robinson became the first D-III player since Devean George to play in the NBA. Robinson would also play for the Sioux Falls Skyforce his rookie season, making the All-NBA G-League 3rd-team. Since 2019, Robinson has been on the Heat full-time and holds career averages of 12.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 45% from the field and 42% from three-point range.
2019: Naz Reid
Luguentz Dort seems like the obvious choice for 2019, but I'm going to be bold and pick Naz Reid. The 18th ranked prospect in 2018 by RSCI, Reid was a five-star prospect who would attend LSU. In his freshman year, Reid would average 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting 47% from the field, and he would make the All-SEC Freshman team. Reid would forego his final three years of eligibility to declare for the 2019 draft, but he'd go undrafted.
Reid would quickly sign a two-way deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although he would spend most of the year in the G-League with the Iowa Wolves, Reid would receive some significant playing time during his rookie season, ending the year on a 12-game streak where he played 25 minutes per game and averaged 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Reid would re-sign with the Timberwolves this summer, and currently holds career averages of 12 points, 4.5 rebounds, and a block per game while shooting 47% from the field and 34% from three.
2020: Mason Jones
And this brings us to the most recent draft class with 2020. While there aren't many undrafted players from this class who have played many games this season, one who has is Mason Jones. After playing his freshman year at junior college Connors State, where he averaged 15.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 52% from the field and 43% from three-point range, Jones transferred to Arkansas, where he'd play two seasons. In his junior year, Jones would average 22 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.4 steals, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 45% from the field and 35% from three-point range, was named SEC Co-Player of the Year, and made the All-SEC 1st team. Jones would go undrafted in 2020 but would sign a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets following the draft. Along with playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Jones has played in 21 games and started one for the Rocketsas of writing this, averaging 5.6 points and 2.1 rebounds per game while shooting 44% from the field and 38% from three-point range.
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