Undrafted NBA Rookies Who Can Still Make an Impact Next Season
In the same way that there are more NBA-caliber players in the world than there are roster spots in the Association, there are typically more than 60 entrants in the NBA draft each year who are worthy of honing their skills at the highest level.
It's inevitable, then, that some really good prospects fall through the cracks, as the case will likely prove to be for the class of 2015.
Fortunately for them, being passed over on draft night is far from a death knell for someone's career in basketball. Ben Wallace, Brad Miller and John Starks parlayed their early free agency into All-Star selections. Bruce Bowen bounced around France and the CBA before he arrived in the NBA in 1997, and he didn't assume a spot on the wing for the San Antonio Spurs, with whom he won three titles, until four years after that.
Among current constituents, Wesley Matthews, Jose Calderon, Udonis Haslem, Timofey Mozgov, Jeremy Lin and J.J. Barea represent but a handful of those who took circuitous routes to success in the NBA.
These seven youngsters might all follow in their footsteps. Or, they could just as easily wash out of a league that didn't call their names on Thursday.
Christian Wood, PF, Houston Rockets
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The most heartbreaking photo of the 2015 NBA draft came at Christian Wood's expense. CBS Sports' Gary Parrish passed along the now-infamous picture of Wood's long, lanky frame slumped over in sadness after it became clear he wasn't going to be drafted.
This, after some, including Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, had projected him to be a fringe first-round pick.
If collegiate production is any indication, Wood's talent befits such a selection. He averaged 15.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks, and knocked down 25 threes during his sophomore season at UNLV.
But, as Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski wrote, "Wood, a 6'11" forward, performed below standards in pre-draft workouts and dropped completely out of the second round on Thursday night."
The Houston Rockets, who've signed Wood to a partially guaranteed deal (per Yahoo Sports), have a knack for finding and grooming cheap youngsters into valuable contributors. Just ask Chandler Parsons and Patrick Beverley, among others.
Wood won't find any shortage of competition at forward in Space City, though. The Rockets added Wisconsin's Sam Dekker and Louisville's Montrezl Harrell on draft night to a group that already included Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas. That crew could expand even further this summer, provided the Rockets retain Josh Smith and Corey Brewer, as general manager Daryl Morey intends (per the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen).
And if the Rockets are able to snag another All-Star big man in free agency...well, that wouldn't be good for Wood's prospects, either.
Still, even if Wood doesn't wind up in Houston, his size and skill alone should be enough to open up doors elsewhere around the Association.
Cliff Alexander, F, Brooklyn Nets
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What a difference a year makes.
Last summer, Cliff Alexander was on his way to Kansas as one of the most decorated prep players in the country, with a spot in the lottery seemingly guaranteed. This summer, he'll be playing in summer league for the Brooklyn Nets, as first reported by SI.com's Jeremy Woo. But only after going undrafted.
Injuries, poor performances and eligibility issues sidetracked the 19-year-old during his lone season in Lawrence. All told, Alexander, who had little choice but to turn pro in the wake of an NCAA probe, averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds during his 28 games as a Jayhawk.
Things didn't get any better for Alexander from there, as Yahoo Sports' Jeff Eisenberg detailed:
"He measured at just over 6'7" without shoes, he suffered a knee injury that hampered him during workouts and he failed to prove to skeptical scouts that he had good enough footwork, outside shooting or athleticism to make up for being undersized.
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Still, for a guy who'd gone toe-to-toe with the likes of Karl-Anthony Towns and fellow Chicagoan Jahlil Okafor in high school—both on the court and in the class rankings—Alexander's draft-day demise is stunning, to say the least.
The Nets now have a highly motivated former McDonald's All-American on their hands, and the hope is that he proves himself worthy of a regular-season roster spot this summer.
Aaron Harrison, G, Charlotte Hornets
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As with Cliff Alexander, few would've believed Aaron Harrison would go undrafted if they'd been told so prior to his arrival in college. He and his brother, Andrew Harrison, were practically phenoms when they left San Antonio as teenagers.
But after two years at Kentucky, Andrew wound up as the No. 44 pick. Aaron, on the other hand, didn't hear his name called at all. Had Aaron been chosen among the lucky 60, John Calipari's Wildcats would've set an all-time record with seven players picked in a single draft.
Instead, Aaron will have to earn his keep with the Charlotte Hornets in the Orlando Summer League. At 6'6" and 212 pounds, Harrison isn't lacking for physical tools. Nor need he reach back far for on-court credentials; he was Kentucky's most clutch player during its run to the national title game in 2014 and led the 38-win Wildcats in scoring as a sophomore.
The Hornets, however, don't need any more guards with shaky jump shots, and Harrison's is certainly that, after shooting 39.5 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from three in 2014-15. That being said, though Aaron doesn't have his brother's ball skills to make up for his shooting woes, he's got enough size and length to be a plucky defender at multiple positions and, at the tender age of 20, isn't too old to smooth out the rough edges in his game.
Terran Petteway, G, Atlanta Hawks
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Terran Petteway wouldn't likely use personal tragedy as an excuse, but it's possible his mother's illness (and eventual death) had an impact on his performance as a junior at Nebraska and, perhaps, during his tour of workouts prior to the draft.
""He wasn't as efficient as he was in the year prior, but with everything that went on and what he had to endure mentally, as much as the physical toll, it's tough," an NBA executive told Grantland's Jonathan Abrams. "He should be applauded for it, and he didn't come out and come searching for excuses for somebody to come and lift him up. He just tried to fight through it on his own and he took the criticism that he was not being coachable or not being efficient, not being a team player. Not many people knew exactly what was going on."
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All things considered, Petteway acquitted himself well in Lincoln. In some respect, the former Texas Tech transfer's production as a redshirt junior was superior to that of his stellar sophomore year, albeit without an NCAA tournament appearance to round things out:
| Minutes | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks | |
| 2013-14 | 31.7 | 18.1 | 4.8 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.8 |
| 2014-15 | 35.0 | 18.2 | 4.9 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 0.9 |
At 6'6", Petteway has the size and skills to play multiple positions on both ends of the floor. It's no wonder, then, that the Atlanta Hawks have enlisted him to their summer league squad, per RealGM's Shams Charania.
The Hawks could use a helping of what Petteway brings to the table, with Thabo Sefolosha coming off an ankle injury and DeMarre Carroll and John Jenkins both bound for free agency. If Petteway can outplay Tim Hardaway Jr., whom the Hawks acquired on draft night, he may find himself with the NBA opportunity of which he's long dreamt.
T.J. McConnell, PG, Philadelphia 76ers
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T.J. McConnell isn't particularly big (6'1", 195 pounds) or athletic for a point guard. He's old for a rookie (23), which brings his upside into question. He won't wow anyone with any one skill, or even with the variety he possesses.
And yet, the Arizona grad might've been selected in the second round of the draft, had he agreed to one cavernous caveat (via Arizona Daily Star's Bruce Pascoe):
"[McConnell's agent Chris] Emens said all 15 teams McConnell worked out for invited him to play summer ball and that McConnell might have been drafted had he agreed to be a "draft-and-stash" second-rounder who would be sent directly to the D-League with no chance of making the NBA club.
"We didn't want to do that and we knew we had a lot of demand, so we were able to parlay that into a significant deal," Emens said. "He had a very, very good predraft process....Coaches love him. He's so intense and hardcore, and he makes others better."
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The Philadelphia 76ers liked McConnell enough to extend him a contract with a six-figure partial guarantee. The Pittsburgh native has a solid shot at working his way onto the Sixers' regular-season roster, too. With Tony Wroten Jr. and Isaiah Canaan as the only point guards with contracts for 2015-16 (Canaan's isn't fully guaranteed), Philly will need all the help it can get from what few floor generals it can muster.
Brandon Ashley, F, Atlanta Hawks
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McConnell wasn't the only draft-eligible Arizona Wildcat who wasn't taken this year. Brandon Ashley fell short of securing his dream on Thursday night as well.
Ashley, though, didn't have to wait long for another opportunity to present itself. He'll be suiting up for the Atlanta Hawks in summer league, according to Shams Charania of Real GM, hoping to become the latest shrewd addition for the top-seeded Eastern Conference club.
Ashley's slip out of the draft is understandable. Once a stud power forward in California's East Bay, Ashley succumbed to a foot injury as a sophomore and questions about his skill set—beyond his pick-and-pop jumper—as a junior.
That shot, though, could play a pivotal part in Ashley's longevity at the next level. It certainly helped another U of A product, Jordan Hill, find his footing in the NBA.
Ashley could certainly open eyes and earn a training camp invite, and the possibilities could only extend further from there.
Robert Upshaw, C, Los Angeles Lakers
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For 10 days in July (and maybe longer), Brandon Ashley will be sharing the Lakers' frontcourt with another Pac-12 product: Robert Upshaw.
The former Fresno State Bulldog turned Washington Husky was dogged by unspecified personal battles that got him booted from both teams. According to the Seattle Times' Percy Allen, Upshaw's draft stock took another hit when he had to suspend predraft workouts on account of a possible heart condition.
Upshaw was later cleared to resume his basketball activities, and the tools he brings to the table are no less impressive now than they were during his collegiate days. The 7-footer registered the biggest hands and the widest wingspan at this year's NBA draft combine.
And after blocking 85 shots in just 19 games at Washington, it's no great surprise that he did. It wouldn't be a total shock, either, if Upshaw made it to training camp with L.A. Even if the Lakers manage to lure a top-flight free-agent center with their cap space, they could still use another athletic big to serve as his backup.
Assuming, of course, he proves to the Purple and Gold that he's committed to the game.
""He's 21. He's an excellent shot blocker and had defensive skills that you can plug into any team in this league," an Eastern Conference scout told the Seattle Times. "...But here's the thing, I don't know how much he loves basketball. Some of that other stuff, you can help a kid with if he's willing to change. But he's got to convince somebody that he's worth the effort."
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Josh Martin covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.
