Fred VanVleet hounded Stephen Curry in the NBA Finals, hit big shots, and played an important role in the Toronto Raptors winning their first ever NBA title.
VanVleet was undrafted.
So was his teammate Jeremy Lin. And the Warriors’ Quinn Cook. Then there’s Seth Curry, Robert Covington, Kent Bazemore, Joe Ingles, Yogi Ferrell, Allonzo Trier, Jonathon Simmons, Langston Galloway, Matthew Dellavedova, Royce O’Neale, Maxi Kleber... and that’s just the tip of the iceberg of undrafted players making an impact in the NBA.
Who are the guys overlooked in the 2019 NBA Draft that teams may regret not snapping up? Here are our top 10:
• Luguentz Dort, 6’4” shooting guard, Arizona State. He was the Pac 12 Freshman of the Year and his value at the next level is as a defender, he was tenacious as an on-ball guy (although not every scout is so sure about that). Some people thought he was a late first-round pick. What scared teams off? He’s a shooting guard who shot 30.7 percent from three last year. That has to improve (and reportedly has in workouts). OKC quickly locked him up after the draft.
Arizona State's Lu Dort will sign a full two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder, a source told ESPN. Not clear why he went undrafted, but he did turn down some draft and stash offers I'm told.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 21, 2019
He also has to become a better finisher at the rim, he was inconsistent there. But with his potential, it’s a surprise to see him go undrafted.
• Naz Reid, 6’10” center, LSU. He has a world of potential, and while he’s a project big man, there were a lot of project bigs taken in this draft. Minnesota locked him up after the draft.
Undrafted LSU center Naz Reid has agreed to a two-way NBA contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 21, 2019
Reid can put the ball on the floor, shot better than 35 percent from three, has a good touch, and is the kind of big who could grab the board and bring the ball up himself. However, he seemed disinterested in defense (and occasionally offense) this season. Does he love basketball? That may have been the biggest reason he fell, but he has a chance to prove guys wrong.
• Brian Bowen, 6'7" wing, Sydney Kings. It didn’t take long after the draft for the Indiana Pacers to lock Bowen up.
Brian Bowen will sign a two-way contract with the Indiana Pacers, a source told ESPN. Bowen will opt out of the second year of his contract with the Sydney Kings.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 21, 2019
Rather than play in college, Bowen went to Australia and played against men (and alongside Andrew Bogut). He’s got an NBA shooting touch, more confidence now, and knows how to play a physical game. It’s a surprise a team didn’t give him a shot before the Pacers.
• Shamorie Ponds, 6’1” point guard, St. Johns. He’s got a lot of playground in his game, both for good and bad. He’s got impressive handles and uses that and some hesitation moves to get space and get to the rim or pull up for a jumper. After that, he’s got work to do. He has to get stronger, he has to be better at setting up teammates, his shot needs to be more consistent, and his defense needs to improve. A project, but if he puts in the work he could be a rotation guard in a few years.
• DaQuan Jeffries, 6’5” wing, Tulsa. He has the raw tools to be a 3&D role player in the NBA — he’s very athletic, shooting range, he has a 7-foot wingspan — but it’s going to take a lot of development to get him there. Orlando is going to give him that chance.
Sources: Tulsa’s DaQuan Jeffries has agreed to an undrafted free-agent deal with the Orlando Magic.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 21, 2019
Jeffries’ ball handling has to improve, and he has to be far more consistent. He had a good showing at the Portsmouth Invitational, which helped boost his draft stock, but just not enough.
• Jontay Porter, 6’11” center, Missouri. The concern here is obvious — he has two ACL tears. He wasn’t the most athletic prospect to begin with, but the medical reports are the reason he fell out of the draft. Porter has skills as a shooter out to the arc and he plays a high IQ game, plus he fights hard for rebounds and tries on defense. Some team should bring him in this summer and give him a chance.
• Terence Davis, 6’5” shooting guard, Mississippi. A guy who has moved up draft boards as the day got closer, but apparently not enough. He a good athlete he has been a decent shooter, if a bit streaky, but if he can become a more consistent shooter and add a little playmaking to his game, Davis can be a role player in the NBA. He’s got to improve his defense and accept a role, but if he can do that he can develop into a scorer off the bench in the league.
• Louis King, 6’8” forward, Oregon. Teams see the potential for a stretch four in him, he shot 38.6% from three last season, but he’s just got to get stronger. He’s not quick enough to be a very switchable defender. That said, he can become a role player if he puts in the work — and that’s the big question. Reports have teams concerned about his work ethic and love of the game, and that likely doomed his chances. He has to repair that this summer.
• Jalen Lecque, 6’4” guard, Brewster Academy. This is all about the potential. Lecque played last season at a prep school, not in college, he’s a top-shelf athlete with NBA wingspan (6’8.5”) who could be an impressive NBA defender. That’s why the Suns gave him a non-guaranteed contract.
Brewster Academy’s Jalen Lecque has agreed to a four-year, undrafted free-agent deal with the Phoenix Suns, with two years guaranteed, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 21, 2019
Lecque is very, very raw, his shot isn’t there yet, the game seemed to move too fast for him at the Draft Combine, and there is a lot of development to do here. Still, gambling on a guy with athletic upside is a smart play.
• Zach Norvell Jr., 6'5" shooting guard, Gonzaga. In a league that needs shooting, Norvell can get red-hot and has ridiculous range. Yes, there were questions about his athleticism, and with that who he could defend, but considering who was taken it’s surprising to see a good shooter left on the sidelines.
• One Bonus note: Teams were not nearly as high on Tacko Falls as fans. Maybe he proves everybody wrong and pans out, but he has no range to his game. He’s an old-school style center in a league getting away from those kinds of players, and teams were concerned he cannot keep up with the pace of the NBA. This isn’t college where he can just be planted near the rim, plus he needs to get a lot stronger to compete inside in the NBA. He’ll get a Summer League invite, no doubt, but he has a lot of work to do to get where he wants to be.
