When the Miami Heat closed out the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, they did it with an eight-man rotation that included five undrafted players. Gabe Vincent, Caleb Martin, Max Strus, Duncan Robinson and Haywood Highsmith each made it through their respective drafts without hearing their names called and are now one series victory away from being NBA champions.
All five of those players spent time in the G League before cracking the Heat’s rotation. All five also played some or all of their collegiate careers outside one of the sport’s Big Six conferences, with three of them spending time playing at non-Division I schools. Collectively, the group provides a path for other undrafted and unheralded players to follow as the 2023 NBA Draft looms just three weeks away.
While it’s an uphill climb for undrafted free agents to find long-term NBA stability, it can be done. With 30 G League teams now dotting the map, including 28 that are directly affiliated with NBA franchises, there is a developmental landing spot available to players who aren’t selected. From there, two-way contracts provide another avenue for players to latch on with an NBA team and prove they have what it takes to make it in the league.
So what about the 2023 draft class? Our writers have identified one player each who they believe could make a long-term home in the NBA even if they go undrafted this year.
Bailey is projected by most to be a second-round pick and thus is susceptible to completely slipping out of the 2023 NBA Draft. Will it happen? Not sure. But even if the one-and-done former five-star prospect doesn’t hear his name called later this month, I’d still bet on him eventually finding a role with some NBA franchise after having a solid lone season at UCLA, where he averaged 11.2 points while shooting 38.9% from 3-point range for a team that won the Pac-12 regular-season title. Simply put,…
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