How Can You Categorize the Best Undrafted NBA Players?
The NBA is a league that produces some of the most talented athletes and basketball players globally. However, we are sometimes left to wonder what could have been if they were drafted instead of not being drafted. These players include Nikola Jokic, Victor Oladipo, Kelly Olynyk, and many more. Who are these undrafted stars? The following article will put names to faces and describe how they made it into their respective team rosters.
1. Who are the best undrafted NBA players?
Every year, NBA teams cycle through new players. These are people who could potentially fill the holes in their rosters and contribute significantly to win games. At first glance, one may assume that these spots are automatically reserved for the draft picks of that team. But throughout the history of professional basketball, you’ll discover several instances where undrafted players made it to the NBA. Several sports analysts believe that undrafted players may become better overall basketball players than their counterparts.
What makes these unselected individuals so special? The answer is quite simple – lack of expectations and low pressure. Since they weren’t given a chance to develop in an NBA program, they developed their skills in other areas. Most undrafted NBA players could skip the college line and jump straight into the world of professional basketball. It allows them to develop their talent in many different ways since they had more time to focus on perfecting their skills rather than focusing on moving to a higher level of competition.
2. Why did they go undrafted?
At times, it may seem like the NBA has a very random process when selecting draft picks. There are many rumors about franchises making deals with other teams for specific players they want to draft. However, there are some things you need to consider before labeling these players as losers or underdogs simply because their favorite team didn’t draft them. Things like age, height, weight, and personality are just a few examples of what scouts look for when watching videos of draft picks. In some cases, it might have been more beneficial to take these players later in the draft instead of choosing one who might not fit into their specific system or plans.
3. Fewest number of times being drafted
This title belongs to Stephon Marbury, who has been selected on average 0.4 times in the NBA draft. Only six teams have ever chosen him in an NBA draft since 1995. However, his career is far from over. This young man is still playing basketball and currently holds the record for most points as a bench player. The only thing that Stephon Marbury is missing today is his dream of becoming the best undrafted NBA players. It might be the most remarkable example of how determination can lead to success in life, even if you have been passed over numerous times.
4. Most team draft selections
Two players hold this title, and they belong to the same family. The two players are Randy and Ray Allen, who had been selected on average five times in NBA drafts before they finally got their break with the Seattle Supersonics. As you can see from this example, persistence is key to becoming the best undrafted NBA player. Especially because of how competitive the league has become over the years.
5. Unique combinations of skills and NBA draft picks
You might be asking yourself, “how did these players even get signed to an NBA team?”. The fact is that not every player in the world can make it to the NBA since there are only so many spots available and thousands of people who want them. Therefore, you need to be at least a bit talented and dedicated to fulfilling your dream of becoming an NBA draft pick. We love NBA players because they are unique in expressing themselves, especially when they’re talking on and off the court. For example, Demetri McCamey likes to dance while he’s playing basketball – how cool is that?
6. Most draft selections – career
Many people have been selected in at least one NBA draft since 1947, but a record holder is a man named Jim Jackson, chosen on average 4.9 times throughout his entire basketball career. Today he is retired and holds several records thanks to his impressive number of NBA draft selections. If you check out his statistics, you’d see that he played for 12 different teams.
7. Most draft selections – season
In this case, the record holder is Dwight Howard, who had been drafted on average two times per NBA season before becoming the best undrafted NBA players with the Orlando Magic in 2004. It was only one of his many records, which proves that winning is not everything. Having a good reputation and staying humble throughout your entire career is how you become an NBA draft pick year after year.
8 . Fewest number of game-winning shots
This title belongs to a man named Adam Haluska, who has never made a game-winning shot in his entire career. It is quite surprising, especially because he holds the record for most three-point shots in the NBA draft. However, Adam Haluska was not an NBA draft pick, and therefore he did not manage to achieve what many dreams of doing at least once in their lives – make a game-winning shot. Adam Haluska’s career was not as successful as he would have wanted it to be.
9. Most three-point shots made in a game
The record holder in this category is a former NBA player named Peja Stojakovic, who managed to make nine three-pointers in a single game while playing for the Sacramento Kings. Do you hate threes as much as most coaches? If so, then you won’t be happy to hear that Peja had made three-pointers on 35 different occasions in the last six years of his career.
Summary
The best undrafted NBA players are determined by who has achieved the most success in their career, even if they were never drafted to an NBA team. The following is a list of amazing of the most outstanding examples: – Randy and Ray Allen had been selected on average five times before becoming a Seattle Supersonics draft pick.
