With the NBA Draft just completed and free agency period quickly approaching, executives of all 32 NBA franchises have been busy evaluating talent and running through countless scenarios that could happen on draft day and the following weeks.
Teams have already used their precious draft picks, but they are still evaluating the possibilities of various sign-and-trades before July 1st arrives.
With all of the focus being given to those who were taken in the draft, it is easy to forget that there is talent to be found outside of the draft.
There are many paths to a career in the NBA, and being taken in the draft is just one of them.
Over the years, there have been numerous undrafted players who have gone on to have productive, and even All-Star-caliber, careers in the NBA.
Some have been signed right away as undrafted free agents, but most have toiled for years in developmental leagues, both here and abroad.
Either way, through hard work and dedication, these players who were passed up on draft day have proven that they can play at the highest level of the sport.
The following 20 players all have one thing in common: they have all made successful NBA careers for themselves after being overlooked on draft day.
Honorable Mention. Jannero Pargo, Guard, University of Arkansas
Pargo broke in with the L.A. Lakers in 2002 and played in 32 games.
In 2003, he played for three different teams, eventually settling down in Chicago. He would play with the Bulls until 2005.
After the 2005 season, Pargo would sign a free agent contract with the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets.
He returned to Chicago in 2009.
In his eight-year career, Pargo has played in 378 games and averages 6.6 points, two assists, and 1.5 rebounds per contest.
He has made over $7.3 million in his professional career.
20. Chuck Hayes, Forward, University of Kentucky
After four seasons at the University of Kentucky, Hayes has enjoyed five seasons in the NBA with the Houston Rockets.
He has averaged 3.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and one assist in 350 career games.
Hayes was in the top 10 in the league in defensive rating in 2006 and 2008.
In 2009, he started all 82 games for the Rockets.
He has made almost $6.3 million so far in his career.
19. Jamario Moon, Forward, Meridian Community College
A third-year player out of Meridian Community College, Jamario Moon has had a productive career so far in the NBA. He's currently with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but was first signed by Toronto in 2007.
He holds the Raptors' club record for most consecutive games with a block (12). He was also named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in January of 2008.
He scored 13 points in the Rookie/Sophomore Challenge and finished third in the Slam Dunk Contest in 2008.
He was signed by the Cavs in 2009 after splitting time between Miami and Toronto the previous season.
In 219 career games, Moon has averaged seven points and 4.7 rebounds in just over 24 minutes per game.
He's also blocked 198 shots, recorded 200 steals, and dished out 234 assists in his career.
This post-season, he ranked first in the NBA for three-point field goal percentage (58.3 percent).
Moon has made over $3.88 million in his brief NBA career.
18. Reggie Evans, Forward, University of Iowa
Reggie Evans has played in the NBA since 2002 with four teams.
In 542 career games, Evans has scored 2,300 points. He's also recorded 3,628 rebounds, 373 steals, and 307 assists.
He averages 4.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in 19.1 minutes per game.
Evans has made almost $21 million over his eight-year NBA career.
17. Mikki Moore, Center, University of Nebraska
After four seasons at Nebraska, Moore struggled to find his footing in the NBA. He was signed and waived twice by Minnesota and he never played a game with them.
He made his debut in 1999 with Detroit and played six minutes in two games.
In addition to playing with nine NBA teams, he has also played overseas and in the CBA and NBA D-League.
Moore has played in 557 games over 12 seasons in the NBA. In those games, he has averaged 5.8 points and 3.9 rebounds. He's also recorded 530 blocks and 303 steals.
In 2006, he led all players with a 60.9 field goal percentage.
He's made over $25.3 million in his NBA career.
16. Jose Calderon, Guard, Spain
Jose Calderon played professional basketball in Spain for eight years before being signed as a free agent by the Raptors in 2005.
He's also played on the Spanish national youth team and is the captain of Spain's national team. He won a gold medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championships and a silver at the 2008 Olympics.
In his five-year NBA career, Calderon has averaged 9.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 6.6 assists in 27.1 minutes per game.
For his career, he averages 38.7 percent from three-point range and 87.8 percent from the free-throw line.
He finished in the top five in the NBA in assists per game in 2007 and 2008. He was also first in free-throw percentage in 2008 (98.1 percent).
He has made over $22.6 million in his NBA career.
15. Carlos Arroyo, Guard, Florida International University
Raja Bell and Carlos Arroyo were teammates at FIU in the late 1990s, and they were also both members of the Jazz in 2003-2004.
Arroyo has played nine NBA seasons. He has made stops in Toronto, Denver, Utah, Detroit, Orlando, and Miami.
In 505 career games, he has averaged 6.9 points and 3.2 assists in 18.7 minutes per game.
He's made almost $19 million in the NBA.
14. Kelenna Azubuike, Guard/Forward, University of Kentucky
Azubuike played for three seasons under Tubby Smith at the University of Kentucky, and entered the draft after his junior season in 2005.
However, he went undrafted and played in the NBA Developmental League, as well as the Summer League in 2005 after being cut in training camp by the Cavs.
In 2006, he was signed by the Rockets, but they waived him in October. He then went back to the D-League for a short stint.
In January 2007, the Golden State Warriors signed him because they were impressed by his D-League play.
He played full seasons in 2007 and 2008, but he missed almost the entire 2009 season due to injury.
He's started 84 of his 205 career games and averages 10.6 points and four rebounds in just over 24 minutes per game.
He shoots 45.9 percent from the field, 40.9 percent from beyond the arch, and 77 percent from the line.
Azubuike has made over $7 million in four years in the NBA.
13. Bo Outlaw, Forward, University of Houston
Outlaw made his NBA debut with the L.A. Clippers vs. the cross-town Lakers. He scored 13 points in a 100-89 victory.
Outlaw enjoyed a 15-year career in the NBA. He played four seasons with the Clippers, seven with the Magic, three with the Suns, and one with the Grizzlies.
In 914 career games, Outlaw scored 4,970 points, grabbed 4,437 rebounds, had 1,441 assists, and blocked 1,193 shots.
His best season came in 1997, when he averaged 9.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game.
He finished in the top 10 in blocked shots twice, and he played in 80 or more games a season nine times.
Outlaw banked more than $40 million during his career.
12. Chucky Atkins, Guard, University of South Florida
In 11 NBA seasons, Atkins has played for Orlando, Detroit, Boston, L.A (Lakers), Washington, Memphis, Denver, and Oklahoma City.
He's averaged 9.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game.
His best season came with the Lakers in 2004, when he averaged 13.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in 35.4 minutes per game. He started all 82 games that season.
He made the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 1999.
Atkins has made $34.2 million so far in the NBA.
11. Mike James, Guard, Duquesne University
Mike James has played nine seasons out of Duquesne University after being signed by Miami in 2001.
He's averaged 10.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per contest in 528 contests.
He has a good three-point shot, averaging 37.8 percent for his career from beyond the arc. He's also an 80.3 percent free-throw shooter.
He won an NBA title with the Pistons in 2004.
His most productive season was in 2005, when he averaged 20.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists for the Raptors.
He's currently a free agent after only playing in only four games in 2009.
He's made over $31.2 million in his career.
10. Darrell Armstrong, Guard, Fayetteville State University
Darrell Armstrong played in the NBA for 14 seasons for five teams. He spent his first nine years in Orlando.
He averaged 9.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, four assists, and 1.3 steals in 23.7 minutes per game over the span of 840 games.
In 1998, he won both the Sixth-Man of the Year and Most Improved Player Awards.
Armstrong made over 27.5 million in his career.
9. Bruce Bowen, Forward, Cal State, Fullerton
Bowen was eligible for the 1993 NBA Draft, but went undrafted. Instead, he split time between France and the CBA for the next four seasons.
In 1997, Bowen was signed to a 10-day contract with the Heat, but only played in one game. He recorded one block in his minute of play.
He signed with the Celtics the next season and appeared in 61 games, slowly establishing himself as an NBA player.
He split time with Philadelphia, Boston, and Miami from 1998 to 2000 before finding a home with the Spurs. He would stay in San Antonio for his final eight seasons and retire after the 2008 season.
In 13 seasons in the NBA (not including 1997), Bowen played in 873 games, and started 644 of them.
He scored 5,290 points and recorded 2,428 rebounds and 1,089 assists in his career.
He's a three-time NBA Champion and an eight-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection.
Bowen made over 30.3 million in the NBA.
8. Avery Johnson, Guard, Southern University and A&M College
Johnson is the prototypical journeyman player. He wore the jersey of six different teams in his 16-year career.
In 1,054 games, he scored 8,817 points, grabbed 1,751 rebounds, racked up 5,846 assists, and compiled 1,007 steals.
He received the NBA Sportsmanship Award in 1998, won an NBA Championship with the Spurs in 1999, and was named the Coach of the Year in 2006 with the Mavericks.
In three-plus seasons as the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, Johnson went 194-70 (.735 winning percentage).
He's been an analyst for ESPN since 2008, and has been named as the head coach of the New Jersey Nets.
Johnson made over $36.4 million as a player in the NBA.
7. Andres Nocioni, Forward, Argentina
Andres Nocioni made his debut in 2004 with the Chicago Bulls, where he played for over four seasons. He was traded to the Kings in 2009.
In six NBA seasons, Nocioni has averaged 11.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.
He's made over $33.2 million so far in his NBA career.
6. Udonis Haslem, Forward/Center, University of Florida
Known primarily for his defense and rebounding ability, Haslem went undrafted out of the University of Florida. He's played seven seasons with the Miami Heat.
He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team and played in the 2003 Rookie/Sophomore Challenge.
He has scored 5,175 points, grabbed 4,177 rebounds, and recorded 556 assists in 517 career games, while shooting almost 50 percent from the field and 76.3 percent from the line.
His most productive season came in 2004, when he averaged 10.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 80 games. He shot 54 percent from the field and 79 percent from the line that season.
He won an NBA title with the Heat alongside Shaquille O'Neal and Dwayne Wade in 2006.
Haslem has made over $31.2 million in his NBA career.
5. David Wesley, Guard, Baylor University
David Wesley made his NBA debut with the Nets in 1993 and played in 60 games.
In his 15-year career, he scored 11,842 points, racked up 4,159 assists, and recorded 1,280 steals.
He averaged 12.5 points and 4.4 assists per game, and he scored over 1,000 points in a season six times.
He was a career 36.8 percent three-point shooter, and he also shot 78.6 percent from the line.
He ranks in the top 50 all-time in three-point field goals made (1,123), three-point field goal attempts (3,051), and steals per game (1.3).
He made over $32.7 million dollars in the NBA.
4. Raja Bell, Guard, Florida International University
Bell started playing college ball at Boston University, but he transferred to FIU after his sophomore year. He led FIU to a Sunbelt Conference title his senior season.
He went undrafted, and was signed by the Spurs in 2000, but he never played a game with them and was released.
He then signed with the Sixers at the end of the 2000 season and played in their final five regular season games. He played in 15 playoff games that season, including all five games of the 2001 NBA Finals.
His first full NBA season came with the Sixers in 2001, when he played in 74 games for Philadelphia.
He has since played for Dallas, Phoenix, Charlotte, and Golden State. The Lakers are said to be interested in his services for the 2011 season.
In 10 seasons, Bell has played in 604 games and has started 383 of them.
He's scored 6,240 points, grabbed 1,743 rebounds, and dished out 1,052 assists. He's averaged over 10 points per game each of the last seven seasons.
He's known for his lock-down defense and his long-range shooting. He's a career 41.1 percent three-point shooter. He's also a two-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection.
Bell has made almost $27 million in the NBA.
3. Brad Miller, Center, Purdue University
Miller has played for Charlotte, Indiana, Sacramento, and Chicago in his 12-year career.
He averages 11.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 29.5 minutes per game.
He was an All-Star in 2003 and 2004, and he played in all 82 games for the Bulls last season.
Miller has made over $81.2 million in the NBA.
2. John Starks, Guard, Oklahoma State University
John Starks played 13 seasons in the NBA from the late 1980s into the early 2000s, including eight with the Knicks, from 1990 to 1997.
In 886 games, Starks scored 10,829 points, recorded 2,129 rebounds, and tallied 3,085 assists.
He averaged 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.1 steals in 27.2 minutes per game.
He was an All-Star during the 1993-1994 season, when he averaged 19 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
He also won the Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1997.
He was an outstanding defender, and was considered as one of the few people in the league that could guard Michael Jordan.
He's one of the most beloved figures in New York Knicks history. He works with the Knicks' front office in fan development, and he also works as an analyst with the MSG Network for Knicks home games.
1. Ben Wallace, Forward/Center, Virginia Union University
Ben Wallace is best known for his time with the Pistons from 2000 to 2005.
He has also played for Orlando, Chicago, Cleveland, and Washington. He returned to the Pistons last season.
Wallace has averaged 10.1 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 1.3 steals, and 6.2 points per game over his career.
He is 137 rebounds shy of 10,000 for his career. He also surpassed 2,000 blocks last season.
Wallace is a four-time All-Star, four-time Defensive Player of the Year, five-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection, and five-time All-NBA Team selection.
He won an NBA title with Detroit in 2004.
He's fourth among active players in total rebounds (34th all-time), and has finished in the top five in total rebounds five times.
He's also fourth among active players in total blocks (16th all-time), and has finished in the top 10 in blocks seven times.
He's made over $83.4 million in his NBA career.
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