Not Drafted and Late Draftees

Not Drafted


If you're not drafted out of college you have a hard road to travel to make it to the NBA. Rarely does a player break into the NBA if they were not selected in the draft. Even rarer does that player excel. It has become more likely for a player to make it in recent years with the draft being trimmed to only two rounds. Usually, the player will have to spend some time in the CBA or in Europe, and then they will be picked up on a ten day contract, and hopefully secure a permanent spot on a roster.
Probably the best known player never to be drafted was John Starks. After leaving Oklahoma State he was not picked up in the draft and he went on to try his luck in the CBA. He had his first stint in the NBA in the 1988-1989 season with Golden State, averaging only 4.1 points. He had to return to the CBA, where he became the CBA's slam dunk champion, before being signed as a free agent with the Knicks at the beginning of the 1990 season. In his first season in New York he played in 61 games and averaged a respectable 7.5 points coming off the bench. Then in 1991 he had a breakthrough year becoming the Knick's Sixth Man and averaging 13.9 points. He later achieved all-star status and was an integral part of the Knicks teams that made runs for the NBA Championship. He had a great year in 1996-97 coming off the bench for the Knicks, in fact it was so good he won the Sixth Man Award. On January 11, 1999, John was traded to the Golden State Warriors along with Chris Mills and Terry Cummings for Latrell Sprewell. On October 4, 2000 Utah signed John Starks to a 2 year, $4.725 million contract.
Robert Pack achieved success in the NBA quicker than Starks. After not being drafted in 1991, this free-agent from USC won a spot on the Blazers' roster after training camp. He went on to play in 72 games, averaging 4.6 points. He later developed into the starting point guard for the Denver Nuggets, who upset the Sonics in the playoffs. He averaged 10.5 points and dished out 335 assists. He started for the Washington Bullets, but his 1995-1996 season was cut short due to injury. He hopes to return to form and possibly make the All-Star Team with the New Jersey Nets after signing a 5 year, 15 million dollar contract.
David Benoit played in the Spanish League for Club Balencesto after leaving the University of Alabama in 1990. He signed with Utah at the start of the 1991 season and won a job in camp. In his rookie year he averaged 5.6 points coming off the bench and became a reliable player for the Jazz, playing in 77 games. He soon became the starting small forward, supplanting Blue Edwards, but lost his job when Chris Morris was signed as a free agent. In 1994-1995 he averaged 10.4 points per game, getting a lot of his points in bunches. In 1996 he signed a one year deal to play with the Nets. He re-signed with the Nets in 1997 for $600,000.
Avery Johnson, now the starting point guard and spark plug of the San Antonio Spurs, was passed over in the 1988 draft. He spent time with the Sonics, Nuggets, Rockets, Warriors and Spurs before for settling in for good. In 1995-1996 he averaged 13.1 points and 9.6 assists while playing in every game for the Spurs. In 1997 he re-signed with the team for 9 million over 3 years. He not only had a good statistical season with the Spurs, he also won the 1998 NBA Sportsmanship Award and was named to the 1998 All-Interview Team. San Antonio re-signed Avery Johnson to a 1 year, $8 million contract for the 2000-2001 season. Then he moved on to Denver be signing a 3 year deal worth 14,975,400 on July 19, 2001.
Also, in 1993 Charles Outlaw signed with the Clippers and worked his way into the starting lineup at small forward. He played in the CBA for the Grand Rapids Hoops in 1993-1994 after Graduating from the University of Houston. On August 3, 1999, Orlando re-signed Bo to a one year contract worth 2 million dollars. On August 4, 2000 Orlando re-signed Bo Outlaw to a 5 year, $28 million contract.
Chris Childs was never drafted out of Boise State in the 1989 draft. He played for 5 years in the CBA, winning the 1994 MVP award in the CBA Championship Series. The following season he was signed as a free agent by the New Jersey Nets. He played two productive years there, averaging 10.0 ppg and 5.9 assists, then signed a lucrative long term deal with the Knicks in 1996.
Matt Maloney was named the Ivy League player of the year for 1994-95 for Penn, but he was never drafted. He went on to play for Grand Rapids in the CBA, being named to the CBA's All-Rookie Second Team. He should make the NBA's All-Rookie Second Team this year. He was signed by the Rockets as a free agent prior to the 1996-97 season, seeing that they needed help in the backcourt. He has started most of the year for Houston, in the absence of Brent Price. Even when Price was healthy it was hard to keep him on the bench. Opposing teams have grown to fear his deadly three-point shot. It looks like Maloney has won a spot for himself on this Houston team looking for another NBA Championship as he was re-signed in 1997-98 for another 1 year contract for 327,000 dollars. Houston locked him in a seven year deal on January 26, 1999.

Late Draftees


As you can see it is possible to survive as a late round pick, or as a player never to be drafted, but it is hard. Who is the lucky player this year. Is it possible for a Drew Barry to excel after being taken with the second to the last pick in the draft? Or can Carlos Strong of Georgia win a job after trying out in a team's training camp? How about big man Eric Gingold...is he project which will pay off for a team desperate to invite a big man to camp? Darvin Ham of Texas Tech was never drafted, but he has hung on with the Denver Nuggets after being signed as a free agent. Ham was selected to participate in the slam dunk competition his rookie year. He was then traded to the Pacers for Jerome Allen.

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