Having a chance to play and figure among the top players in the NBA is not easy. It demands a lot of courage and effort on the players to prove themselves and grab the topmost spot in the NBA. There are many players who, despite their efforts, go undrafted from the NBA and go overlooked. It is because the NBA usually selects the top talent, and it is difficult to reach the peak of the NBA. The undrafted players tend to try their luck somewhere else, be it G league or others. Fortunately, some have started their careers with some big teams over there. Some have huge plans to enter the draft and get signed by a team. Still, you must figure out the best undrafted NBA players of all time to proceed further with the same. Let us get started with the same.
Table of Contents
Best NBA undrafted players of all time
J.J. Barea
J.J. Barea went undrafted in 2016 but later connected with the Dallas Mavericks to proceed further with the same deal. Many people know him for his role in the Mavericks NBA championship than the Miami Heat. He devoted a total of 14 years in total to the NBA.
He went for 20 points twice and scored in double figures seven times during the playoff run. Before scoring 15 points to close out the series, he scored 17 points in a Series Game 5.
Jose Calderon
The second-best undrafted NBA players of all time are Jose Calderon. He is quite well known for being the kind of playmaker and sharpshooter guard. In addition to this, he averaged 8 assists and that too four times throughout his 14-year career.
In 2008-09, he led the NBA in free throw percentage and achieved 151 out of 154 free throw attempts. By converting 46.1 percent of his attempts, he led the league in 3 point percentage in 2012.
Avery Johnson
Another player on the list who got undrafted was Avery Johnson. It took quite some years to establish himself in the NBA, but he gained momentum after four years. After four years, he served as a point guard and floor general.
Due to his efforts, the San Antonio Spurs got kicked off in every game. He nearly averaged 10 points per game in his six seasons and 7 assists per game in the other five seasons. Not only this, but he also managed to score 12.6 assists, 7.4 assists, and 1.2 steals during the postseason game.
Johnson had three doubles in pursuing his NBA championship ring during the NBA playoffs.
Brad Miller
How can one miss out on this excellent player in the NBA, Brad Miller? Even after achieving a great name and fame in NBA history, he still went undrafted and was also overlooked in the previous years in the NBA draft.
He was named an all-star team player in the back-to-back seasons and achieved fame twice. He averaged 13 points and 8.3 rebounds per game with the Indiana Pacers. In the offseason, he drifted away to the Sacramento Kings. Consequently, he averaged 14 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game.
Fred VanVleet
He served as a starter at Wichita State under Gregg Marshall. But later on, he was forced to part ways with the university when it came out that he used to trade players. The Toronto Raptors signed him later, and he spent his first season in the G League.
VanVleet signed the career’s biggest record during the 2020 NBA season. Besides this, he made another record when he scored 54 points against the Orlando Magic and achieved this single-handedly.
He is the only player coming off stronger this season after averaging 19.6 points, 6.3 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game. Consequently, going by this, it will not be wrong to say that he’ll land much higher on this list till he reaches the end of his career.
Udonis Haslem
In 2003, he joined the Miami Heat as an undrafted free agent, and this is his 19th season going so far. Like other players, he also averaged 10.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game odds during the Miami Heat tenure.
Undoubtedly, he played a huge role in the establishment of heat culture. Besides this, he also served in all three championship games, beginning with the playoff game in 2006 and continuing the same tradition in 2013.
Bruce Bowen
As far as Bruce’s career is concerned, his career averages might not surprise you, but the impact he made on the Spurs is just beyond explanation. During the 2000s playoff runs, his first-team selections speak volumes by locking down any wing scorer.
From the 3 point range in six different seasons, he shot over 40 percent and knocked down big shots by scoring 42.2 percent and shooting 3 percent in the playoffs.
John Starks
John Starks struggled a lot to reach the NBA, and it was not easy for him to reach the NBA. Still, he managed to come through the NBA. When he went undrafted by Oklahoma State, he collaborated with Golden State Warriors for one year before going out overseas.
The legacy he enjoyed as a player changed forever when he went to play for the New York Knicks. He averaged 14.1 points, 4 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals and made a greater impact than the advertisements.
He achieved double figures in seven of his eight seasons in New York. By way of this, he also led the team to the NBA finals. He scored 19 points in five of his seven contests and strived for 20 points even after losing the NBA finals.
Connie Hawkins
Connie Hawkins is another best undrafted NBA player of all time. Not many people are clear on his reason for going undrafted. It was due to the NBA as they accused him of being involved in the scandal.
Upon winning the MVP and NBA championship in 1968, he averaged 28.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. He also played with the Phoenix Suns and made 20 points per game in his first three seasons.
Final say
By going through the above-mentioned post, nearly everyone’s perspective must be cleared on the best undrafted NBA players of all time. All these players have been declared undrafted by the NBA but still hold a bright hope for the great future ahead. The NBA is for sure filled up with great talents to honor up the field.