The NBA draft is an exciting time for basketball fans. A handful of players are drafted in the first round and become instant stars every year. But there are also a lot of great players who go undrafted. In this blog post, we'll take a look at some of the best undrafted NBA players of all time.

Top 50 Undrafted Players In NBA History

1. Ben Wallace

College: Virginia Union University

Career averages: Averages for his whole career: 5.7 PTS, 9.6 REB, 2.0 BLK, 1.3 AST, and 1.3 STL

Accolades: Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, 2004 NBA champion, four-time Defensive Player of the Year, four-time All-Star, six-time All-Defense, five-time All-NBA, two-time rebounding champion, one-time blocks champion.

Wallace is, without a doubt, the best player who didn't get picked in the NBA draft.

Wallace is one of the best defenders in league history. He has won four Defensive Player of the Year awards, the same as Dikembe Mutumbo. Since Wallace joined the NBA when big men dominated, it's easy to see how a smaller center like him could be overlooked in the draft. But his intensity, physicality, attitude, effort, and athleticism made up for his lack of height, and he became one of the best big men of the 2000s.

He will be the first player not picked in the draft to get into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame since the draft changed in 1989.

2. Connie Hawkins

College: Iowa

Career averages: 18.7 PTS, 8.8 REB, 4.1 AST, and 1.2 STL

Accolades: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, five-time All-Star, one-time All-NBA, 1968 ABA MVP, 1968 ABA champion, and two-time All-ABA.

Hawkins didn't get picked because, unlike any other player on this best NBA undrafted players list, he was banned by the NBA for a point-shaving scandal while at Iowa. Hawkins had his life figured out in the NBA, but he moved around in different professional leagues before dominating the ABA. He averaged 28.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game and won an MVP award and an NBA championship in 1968.

His success followed him to the NBA, where he averaged more than 20 points per game in his first three years with the Phoenix Suns and was named an All-Star in his first four years in the NBA.

Hawkins later got into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for his work in the ABA and the NBA.

3. John Starks

College: Oklahoma State

Career averages: 12.5 PTS, 3.6 AST, 2.5 REB, and 1.1 STL

Accolades: One-time All-Star in 1993; Second Team All-Defense in 1997. The sixth person of the Year

Starks didn't have an easy time getting into the NBA, but the tough-minded guard found a way to go his own way and become a New York legend.

Starks didn't get picked in the draft after he graduated from Oklahoma State, so he played for the Golden State Warriors for one year before taking his skills abroad. When he went back to the NBA to play for the New York Knicks, it changed his reputation as a player for good. Starks played for the Knicks from 1991 to 1998. He averaged 14.1 points, 4.0 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game, but he had a much bigger impact than that.

In seven of his eight seasons in New York, he averaged more than 10 points per game. He helped lead the team back to the NBA Finals in 1994, which ended a 21-year drought. Even though the Knicks lost the Finals in seven games, Starks scored 19 or more points in five of those games. Three times, he scored more than 20 points.

How he acted and thought will always be a part of Knicks basketball.

4. Bruce Bowen

College: Cal State Fullerton

Career averages: 6.1 PTS, 2.8 REB, 1.2 AST, and 39.3% 3PT.

Accolades: Three-time NBA champion (2003, 2005, and 2007) and eight-time All-Defense selection.

Bowen's career averages may not jump off the page, but it's impossible to deny that he was an important part of the Spurs' championship teams. His five selections to the All-Defensive First Team say a lot, and he shut down any wing scorer in the 2000s playoffs. He shot over 40% from the 3-point range in six different seasons. He shot over 42% in the playoffs from 3-point range and often made big shots.

5. Udonis Haslem

College: Florida

Career averages: 7.6 PTS and 6.7 REB are his career averages.

Three-time NBA champion (2006, 2012, and 2013), second team All-Rookie in 2004.

Haslem signed with the Heat as an undrafted free agent in 2003 and has been there ever since. He is now in his 19th season with the Heat. From 2005 to 2009, when Haslem was at his best with the Heat, he averaged 10.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. He was a big part of how Miami built what is now known as "Heat Culture."

He was on all three championship teams in the team's history. In 2006, he started every playoff game, and in 2013, he started 11 of 22 playoff games.

6. Fred VanVleet

College: Witchita State

Career averages: 12.1 PTS, 4.5 AST, 2.9 REB, and 1.2 STL

Accolades: 2019 NBA champion

VanVleet made history in the offseason of the 2020 NBA season. He signed the largest contract for an undrafted player (four years, $85 million). Duncan Robinson, a sharpshooter for the Miami Heat, signed a five-year deal worth $89 million, which is more than VanVleet's deal, but VanVleet's is still the richest deal per year.

VanVleet scored the most points in a single game by an undrafted player when he scored 54 against the Orlando Magic last season. This was also the most points scored in a single game in the Raptors' history.

VanVleet just finished the best season of his career. He averaged 19.6 points, 6.3 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game. From where VanVleet is going now, it's safe to say that by the end of his career, he will be much higher on this list.

7. Wesley Matthews

Rank: shooting guard

University: Marquette

Career: 12 years of experience (2009-present)

Teams: New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks, and Milwaukee Bucks

849 G, 12.6 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, and 42.4 FG percent.

Gratitude: N/A

Like most undrafted players, Wesley Matthews broke through fast and became a starter in Utah during his rookie season.

Before his sophomore season, Portland signed him as a free agent, and he rapidly won over the crowd's support. Matthews profited by signing a hefty free-agent contract with the Mavs despite suffering a severe Achilles injury.

Although he's slowed down since the injury, Milwaukee is still one of the NBA's top teams and still contributes to them.

8. Johnson Avery

College: Cameron University, Southern University, and A&M College are all universities.

Career averages: 8.4 PTS, 5.5 AST, 1.7 REB, and 1.0 STL

Accolades: 1999 NBA champion

Johnson took a few years to get used to the NBA, but after four years, he was a solid starting point guard and floor leader. Johnson averaged more than 10 points per game in six seasons and more than 7 assists per game in five seasons. He was a key part of the San Antonio Spurs championship run that started their dynasty. He started every game in 1998-1999 and averaged 12.6 points, 7.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game in the playoffs.

In the 1999 NBA Playoffs, Johnson was trying to win his one and only NBA championship. He had 11 games with 10 or more points and four with 10 or more assists, giving him three double-doubles.

9. Jose Calderon

College: International – Spain

Career averages: 8.9 PTS, 5.8 AST, 2.9 REB, and 40.7% 3PT.

Accolades: Retired as the Raptors' all-time leader in assists.

Calderon may not have a long list of awards, but anyone who saw him play knows that the Spanish guard was a great playmaker and sharpshooter. He retired as the player with the most assists in the history of the Toronto Raptors. Throughout his 14-year career, he averaged more than 8.0 assists per game four times. In 2008-09, he made 151 out of 154 free throws, more than anyone else in the NBA (98.1 percent). In 2012-13, he also had the best 3-point percentage in the league, making 46.1% of his attempts.

10. JJ Barea

College: Northeastern

Career averages: 8.9 PTS, 3.9 AST, and 2.1 REB are his career averages.

Accolades: 2011 NBA champion

When Barea left Northeastern University in 2006, he wasn't picked up by a team. However, he quickly joined the Dallas Mavericks; the rest is history. Barea has played in the NBA for 14 years (and maybe more), but he will be most remembered for his key role in the Mavericks' 2011 NBA championship run against the "Big 3" of the Miami Heat.

Barea scored in the double digits seven times during that playoff run. He went for over 20 points twice, and he ended the Finals with a bang by scoring 17 points in a game that changed the series and 15 points in the final game to win the title.

11. Brad Miller

Position: Center, power forward

College: Purdue

14 years of work (1998-2012)

Teams: Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves

Stats: 868 G, 11.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 2.8 APG, 48 FG%

Two-time All-Star in the NBA (2003, 2004)

After a good college career at Purdue, it's hard to believe that Brad Miller wasn't drafted. Miller was useful as a big body under the basket even as the NBA changed to today's fast-paced, open style.

Miller started his career in Charlotte, where he played second fiddle to Elden Campbell. In the second half of the 2001-02 season, he broke out with the Indiana Pacers, and the next year he was an All-Star.

He was a key part of the Sacramento Kings for the next few years and made another All-Star team with 15.6 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

12. Raja Bell

Position: Shooting guard

College: Boston University, Florida International

Career: 12 seasons (2000-12)

Teams: Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Charlotte Bobcats.

Stats: 706 G, 9.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.7 APG, 43.4 FG percent

All-Defensive First Team in 2007, and All-Defensive Second Team in 2008. (2008)

Raja Bell's most famous play was in the first round of the 2006 playoffs when his Suns played Kobe Bryant's Lakers. On a drive to the lane, Bell hooked his arm around Bryant's neck in a move similar to a clothesline, which led to a fight on the court.

This play showed how intense Bell was on defense, and even though he played with two-time All-Star Steve Nash in the Suns' backcourt, Bell often took the pressure off Nash by guarding the other team's best perimeter player.

13. Lin Jeremy

Guard at the point

College: Harvard

Career: 9 years of work (2010-19)

Teams: Golden State Warriors, the New York Knicks, the Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Charlotte Hornets, the Brooklyn Nets, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Toronto Raptors.

Stats: 480 G, 11.6 PPG, 4.3 APG, 2.8 RPG, 43.3 FG percent

Accolades: NBA champion (2019)

A lot has been said about how Jeremy Lin's race and college (Harvard) affect how he is scouted. Lin showed that he belonged in the NBA, and for a short time, he was the best NBA player in the world.

In 2012, Lin took over for the Knicks when they were hurt and played in 16 games. He averaged 21.1 points and 8.6 assists per game. His best game was when he played Kobe Bryant at Madison Square Garden and beat the all-time great with 38 points to help the Knicks win.

When Carmelo Anthony returned to the court, the "Linsanity" era stopped, but Lin stayed on as a point guard for the next few seasons.

14. Darrell Armstrong

Position: Point guard

College: Fayetteville State University

Career: 14 seasons (1994-2008)

Teams: Orlando Magic, New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, and New Jersey Nets are the five teams in the NBA.

Stats: 840 G, 9.2 PPG, 4.0 APG, 2.7 RPG, 40.9 FG percent

Accolades: Most Improved Player and Sixth Man of the Year in 1999 (1999)

Even though he didn't get picked in the draft, Darrell Armstrong helped the Magic win a lot of games during the Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal era. This was only his third season in the league.

Like the Oklahoma City Thunder of today, the Magic couldn't keep their best players together. When O'Neal left for Los Angeles, Hardaway and Armstrong had to play a bigger role.

Armstrong did well, averaging 13.8 points and 6.7 rebounds in 1998-1999, but when Hardaway was traded to the Suns, it was all Armstrong's show. His numbers got better, but he couldn't carry the team, so he spent the rest of his time in the NBA sitting on the bench.

15. Earl Boykins

Position: Point guard

College: Eastern Michigan

Career: 13 seasons (1999-2012)

Teams: New Jersey Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Bobcats, Washington Wizards, and Houston Rockets.

Stats: 652 G, 8.9 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, 41.7 FG percent

Earl Boykins didn't get drafted after he graduated from Eastern Michigan University. At 5-foot-5, he was the second-shortest NBA player ever, after Muggsy Bogues, who was 5-foot-3.

Boykins signed a five-year, $13.7 million deal with the Denver Nuggets before the 2003-2004 season. He then beat the Detroit Pistons to become the shortest player to score more than 30 points in an NBA game.

Throughout his career, Boykins was known as a scorer. He played for 10 teams over 12 years.

16. David Wesley

Position: Point guard, shooting guard

College: Baylor

Career: 14 seasons (1993-2007)

Teams: New Jersey Nets, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Hornets, Houston Rockets, and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Stats: 949 G, 12.5 PPG, 4.4 APG, 2.5 RPG, 42.4 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

When David Wesley signed with the Celtics after his first year, they found a scorer who was a hidden gem. Before he joined the Hornets, he got better and averaged 16.8 points per game on a terrible Celtics team.

Wesley showed he wasn't the problem in Boston by scoring nearly 15 points per game for Charlotte and New Orleans throughout seven seasons and helping those teams reach the playoffs in six of those years.

17. Chucky Atkins

Position: Point guard

College: South Florida

Career: 11 seasons (1999-2010)

Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets, and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Stats: 696 G, 9.9 PPG, 3.4 APG, 41.2 FG percent

Accolades: Second Team All-Rookie (2000)

Chucky Atkins had a very good career. Atkins was a great scorer in South Florida, and his skills helped him become a great outside shooter in the NBA for more than a decade.

The most interesting thing about Atkins' career is that he was part of three trades that changed the NBA. In August 2000, the Pistons traded him along with Ben Wallace to send Grant Hill to Orlando. More than three years later, he was traded to the Celtics as part of the deal that sent Rasheed Wallace to the Pistons. This completed the championship team for the Pistons.

Less than a year later, the Celtics traded him to the Lakers for a pick that turned out to be Rajon Rondo.

18. Anthony Morrow

Position: Shooting guard

College: Georgia Tech

Career: 9 seasons (2008-17)

Teams: Golden State Warriors, New Jersey Nets, Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Chicago Bulls.

Stats: 564 G, 9.4 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 44.7 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

When he first showed up for the Warriors in 2008, Anthony Morrow seemed to have great potential. He had a few 30-point games early in his career, even though the Warriors and Nets were terrible teams. In his second year with the Nets, he even had a 42-point game.

Morrow couldn't carry the load, but during Oklahoma City's deep playoff run in 2016, he settled in as a good outside shooter.

At age 31, he was kicked out of the league and played in the Big 3 league.

19. Reggie Evans

Position: Power forward

College: Iowa

Career: 13 seasons (2002-15)

The teams are the Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Clippers, and Brooklyn Nets.

Stats: 809 G, 4.1 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 46.5 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

Reggie Evans started his career with the now-defunct SuperSonics. He made an impact right away, starting 60 games in his first year.

No matter how far the pace-and-space pendulum swings, hard-working players like Evans will always have a place in the league.

He averaged 11 rebounds per game for Avery Johnson's 49-33 Brooklyn Nets in the 2012-13 season, which was the last year of his 13-year career.

20. Kent Bazemore

Position: Shooting guard, small forward

College: Old Dominion

Career: 9 seasons (2012-present)

Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, and Sacramento Kings.

Stats: 618 G, 8.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 41.6 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

In his first few seasons, Kent Bazemore has been a valuable wing player off the bench. His teammates call him "Baze," which is short for "Bazemore."

Bazemore showed that he could score well in his second season after being traded to the Lakers. Then he signed with Atlanta, where he helped coach Mike Budinholzer's team reach the playoffs twice. In the offseason of 2016, the Hawks gave him a deal worth $70 million over four years.

He probably won't live up to the price tag, but Bazemore has made a lot of money and is now a reserve player for the Golden State Warriors.

21. Chris Andersen

Position: Center, power forward

College: Blinn College

Career: 15 seasons (2001-17)

Teams: Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, New Orleans Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Cleveland Cavaliers

Stats: 695 G, 5.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.4 BPG, 53.2 FG percent

Accolades: NBA champion (2013)

After joining the league, "The Birdman" underwent a big change.

During his first few years, he played in Denver and New Orleans, where he showed he was very athletic for his size and had good instincts for protecting the rim on defense.

He missed a year of school because he was having trouble with drugs. When he came back, Andersen was the same energetic player on the court, but he now had tattoos. The Heat liked him, and he helped them win their second NBA title in a row.

22. Mike James

Position: Point guard

College: Duquesne

12 years of work (2001-10, 2011-14)

Teams: Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks, Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Hornets, Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls, and Dallas Mavericks.

Stats: 595 G, 9.9 PPG, 3.5 APG, 2.2 RPG, 41.7 FG percent

Accolades: NBA champion (2004)

Mike James is the NBA's best example of a player who has played for many different teams. He has always been a good third guard. In 2004, when he came off the bench for the Pistons, he was known as a good "glue guy" in the locker room.

James had a few great games in his career. He averaged more than 20 points per game for the Raptors, and his 39-point performance in a rare win over his former championship-winning teammates was the best.

Even though he was a 26-year-old rookie, he has stayed in the league for a long time, which is a sign of his reputation in Detroit.

23. Andres Nocioni

Position: In front

College: None

Career: 8 seasons (2004-12)

Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings, and Philadelphia 76ers are the three teams.

Stats: 514 G, 10.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 43.1 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

Andres Nocioni wasn't a well-known player at the time, but he made many people notice when he helped Argentina win a gold medal at the Olympics in 2004.

The Bulls picked him up immediately, and he quickly showed that he belonged with the best players in the world. Nocioni mostly came off the bench for Chicago, but he scored in the double digits in four of his first five seasons, including two 30-point games.

After being let go by Philadelphia early in the lockout season of 2011-12, he went back to Spain and finished his career playing for Real Madrid.

24. Marquis Daniels

Position: Small forward and shooting guard

College: Auburn

Career: 10 seasons (2003-13)

Teams: Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, and Dallas Mavericks make up these teams.

Stats: 548 G, 7.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.8 APG, 45.1 FG percent

Awards: Second Team All-Rookie (2004)

Even though Marquis Daniels wasn't picked in the draft, he showed early in his career that he could be a good scorer on some good teams. During his first season with Dallas, he even scored more than 15 points per game in the playoffs.

But Daniels' main claim to fame is this crazy piece of jewelry he made that looks like him. His highest salary was just over $6 million when he played in Indiana. This makes me wonder, "What other expensive jewelry did he have made with that money?"

25. Carl Braun

Position: Shooting guard/point guard

College: Colgate

15 years of work (1947-50, 1952-62)

Teams: New York Knicks, Boston Celtics

Stats: 785 G, 13.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.7 APG, 38.3 FG percent

Accolades: The NBA champion in 1962 and an NBA All-Star five times (1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957)

Carl Braun was the first big star for the New York Knicks, but he wasn't drafted out of college because he made it clear he wanted to be a pitcher for the New York Yankees.

After a few years in the minor leagues, Braun started having serious shoulder problems. He went back to basketball, where he was an All-Star for the Knicks five times and won an NBA title with the Boston Celtics in his last season.

Braun was 82 years old when he died in 2010.

26. Ish Smith

Position: Point guard

College: Wake Forest

Career: 11 seasons (2010-present)

Teams: Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans, Detroit Pistons, and Washington Wizards.

Stats: 654 G, 7.7 PPG, 3.9 APG, 2.5 RPG, 43.0 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

Even on his college team, Ish Smith wasn't given enough credit, so he didn't score more than 10 points per game in his last year at Wake Forest. Given his history, it's not surprising that a team didn't pick him up.

Smith spent his first three years as a backup point guard. He played for five teams before getting a full year with the Suns. He didn't get much playing time until he joined the 76ers in 2015.

He showed he could hold his own in Philadelphia by scoring 12.6 points per game off the bench. Since then, he has been a valuable third guard for Detroit and Washington, where he continues to score close to 10 points off the bench.

27. Bo Outlaw

Position: Power forward, center

College: Houston

Career: 15 seasons (1993-2008)

Teams: Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies

Stats: 914 G, 5.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 56.7 FG%

Accolades: N/A

Bo Outlaw was a star for the Houston Cougars in college. He was known for being a good low-post threat with good instincts for getting rebounds.

Outlaw kept playing well in the post for the Clippers and then the Magic. He helped both teams make the playoffs as a spot starter in the late 1990s.

He kept playing the part of the sixth man for a few more years until he was 36.

28. Carlos Arroyo

Position: Point guard

College: Florida International

Career: 8 years (2001-08, 2009-11)

Teams: Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, and Boston Celtics

Stats: 569 G, 6.6 PPG, 3.1 APG, 43.8 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

Carlos Arroyo didn't play much in his first two seasons with Toronto, Denver, and Utah. In his third season, he became the first Jazz point guard to start since John Stockton.

Even though he had only started one NBA game up to that point, Jerry Sloan gave him the torch. He carried it well, leading Utah to a spot in the playoffs while averaging 12.6 points per game for the new Jazz team.

He was never a starting guard in the league. Instead, he was a backup until he was 31 and went to play overseas.

29. Troy Hudson

Position: Point guard

Missouri and Southern Illinois are colleges.

Career: 10 seasons (1998-2008)

Teams: Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Clippers, Orlando Magic, Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors

Stats: 517 G, 9.0 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 3.4 APG, 40.1 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

Troy Hudson was pretty proud that he played 10 years in the NBA after not being picked. How happy? In 2007, he made a rap album called "Undrafted" and put it out.

Hudson had a very good career in the league. In 2002-03, when he played for the Timberwolves, he had his best season. He averaged 14.2 points and 5.7 assists that year.

What was the album by Hudson like? It is said that only 78 copies were sold. He is one of the greatest undrafted NBA players.

30. Scott Williams

Position: Center or power forward

College: North Carolina

Career: 15 seasons (1990-2005)

The teams are the Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Stats: 746 G, 5.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 0.6 APG, 46.7 FG percent

He has won the NBA title three times (1991, 1992, 1993)

Scott Williams was a key player on the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan's first three NBA championship teams.

Williams' career was much bigger than his time with the Bulls, though, and he played for seven different teams throughout 15 seasons.

Williams played with LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers team in 2005. He was the last NBA player born in the 1960s.

31. Joe Ingles

Position: Small forward/shooting guard

College: None

Career:: 6 years of work (2014-present)

Teams: Utah Jazz

Stats: 545 G, 8.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 3.8 APG, 45.3 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

Joe Ingles started playing professional basketball in his home country of Australia when he was 18. He worked his way up to the EuroLeague, and in 2014, at 27, he made his NBA debut with the Jazz.

Ingles is a well-known international player who has become a key piece for Jazz. He is a great match for Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in the back and frontcourt, respectively. Before the 2019-20 season, Ingles was given a $14 million contract for one year.

Ingles keeps getting better as he goes through his career. In 2018-19 with the Jazz, he had a career-high 12.1 points, 5.7 assists, and 1.2 steals.

32. Chris Childs

Position: Point guard

College: Boise State

Career: 9 seasons (1994-2003)

Teams: New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors

Stats: 541 G, 6.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 4.9 APG, 40.3 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

Chris Childs' nine-year career in the NBA taught how to work hard. Childs was named Big Sky Player of the Year at Boise State in 1989. He wasn't picked in the draft, so he played in the CBA for five years before joining the NBA with the New Jersey Nets in 1994.

Childs is best known for being on some great New York Knicks teams from 1996 to 2001. He helped make the team's roster known for being tough during that time. His most famous moment was a fistfight with NBA legend Kobe Bryant, where he hit the Lakers' star player in the chin. This kind of thing doesn't happen on NBA courts much anymore.

Childs's career numbers of 4.9 assists per game over 541 games stand out.

33. T.J. McConnell

Position: Point guard

College: Duquesne, Arizona

6 years of work (2015-present)

Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers are the teams.

Stats: 377 G, 6.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 4.7 APG, 51.2 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

After going undrafted out of Arizona in 2015, T.J. McConnell joined the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he played right away.

McConnell has averaged almost five assists per game over the past five seasons, and the Indiana Pacers got a great deal when they signed him to a two-year, $7 million deal before the 2019-20 season. He is one of the most notable undrafted NBA players ever.

34. Damien Wilkins

Position: Small forward/shooting guard

College: NC State, Georgia

Career: 11 seasons (2004-14, 2017-18)

Teams: Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, and Indiana Pacers

Stats: 582 G, 6.2 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 1.4 APG, 42.6 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

Damien Wilkins was the first person in his family to make it to the NBA without being picked first. He was also the third person in his family to do so.

Damien's dad, Gerald Wilkins, played in the NBA for 13 years, and his uncle, Dominique, was an All-Star nine times and one of the most exciting players ever.

Damien Wilkins was a solid role player who had a cool comeback near the end of the game. He played for 10 years in a row, then moved around the world for three years. In 2017-18, he finished his career with the Indiana Pacers.

35. Aaron Williams

Position: Center or power forward

College: Xavier

Career: 15 seasons (1993-2008)

Teams: Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, Vancouver Grizzlies, Seattle SuperSonics, Washington Wizards, New Jersey Nets, Toronto Raptors, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers

Stats: 715 G, 5.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 0.7 APG, 49.3 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

Aaron Williams played in the NBA for 15 years, which is rare. He did it without even being drafted.

Williams, who is 6 feet 9 inches tall, made a name for himself by being able to play both powers forward and center. His best season was 2000-2001 with the New Jersey Nets when he averaged 10.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 319 fouls, which was the most in the league. ( Read more some  Best Centers All Time NBA and Best Power Forwards, Top NBA Shooting Guards for 2021-22 And All-Time Player Rankings)

Williams played for a total of nine different NBA teams, and he also played overseas for a few years.

36. Maurice Evans

Position: Small forward or shooting guard

Colleges: Wichita State, Texas

Career: 9 seasons (2001-02, 2004-12)

Teams: Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, and Boston Celtics

Stats: 562 G, 6.7 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 0.7 APG, 44.2 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

After going undrafted out of the University of Texas, Maurice Evans spent most of his nine NBA seasons as a reliable bench player. During that time, he also played for Italy's top professional teams for two years.

Evans was a reliable player off the bench, but that might not do his role justice. He was good for almost 20 minutes per game no matter where he played. He was on several teams in Detroit and Atlanta that made it to the playoffs.

Evans also did a lot of good work off the court. He worked his way up in the NBA Players Association to become vice president.

37. Erick Strickland

Position: Point guard/shooting guard

College: Nebraska

Career: 9 seasons (1996-2005)

Teams: Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Vancouver Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks

Stats: 501 G, 7.5 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.4 APG, 39.2 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

Erick Strickland went from having nothing to having something in the NBA. In 1996, Strickland left the University of Nebraska without being picked up by a team. He played for nine seasons and made about $13.1 million.

Strickland's best years were with the Dallas Mavericks. In 1999-2000, he averaged a career-high 12.8 points per game and a respectable 7.5 points for his entire career, most of which was spent coming off the bench.

38. Mikki Moore

Position: Center

College: Nebraska

Career: 11 years (1999-2010)

Teams: Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Clippers, Seattle SuperSonics, New Jersey Nets, Sacramento Kings, and Golden State Warriors.

Stats: 564 G, 5.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 0.7 APG, 55.1 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

When you look more closely at Mikki Moore's four years at the University of Nebraska, you can see why he was able to play in the NBA for so long. He blocked an average of 2.1 shots per season.

Moore only spent more than two seasons with one of his nine teams, the Detroit Pistons, where he played for four years.

Moore was one of the first players to start in the NBA D-League and then played for a long time in the NBA. In 2003, he won the award for the best defensive player in the NBA D-League.

39. Jannero Pargo

Position: Point guard

College: Arkansas

Career: 11 seasons (2002-2015)

Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets.

Stats: 499 G, 6.4 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 2.0 APG, 39.1 FG percent

Accolades: N/A

Jannero Pargo proved his doubters wrong by playing 11 seasons in the NBA over 13 years with seven different teams. He did this even though he didn't get picked out of Arkansas in 2002.

His younger brother, Jeremy, was a Gonzaga star and played in the NBA. Pargo is now an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers.

40. Don Barksdale

Position: Power forward/small forward

College: UCLA

Career: 4 seasons (1951-55)

Teams: Baltimore Bullets, Boston Celtics

Stats: 262 G, 11.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.1 APG, 37.0 FG%

Accolades: NBA All-Star (1953)

Don Barksdale was a pioneer. He was the first African-American college basketball player to be named a consensus All-American and the first African-American to win a gold medal in basketball at the Olympics.

Barksdale was also not drafted because he was black but a smart businessman and played on several AAU teams in the Oakland area. He was also the first African-American DJ in the Bay Area and the first African-American TV host.

Barksdale finally got into the NBA in 1951, but he still needed one more "first" to make a total of five. In 1953, he was the first black person to be named an NBA All-Star.

41. Matthew Dellavedova

Position: Point guard

College: Saint Mary's

Career: 8 seasons (2013-present)

Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks

Stats: 447 G, 5.5 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 3.7 APG, 38.6 FG%

Accolades: NBA champion (2016)

Matthew Dellavedova was a great young player in Australian Rules Football when he was growing up in Australia. However, he chose basketball as his main sport, setting himself up for an epic career.

Dellavedova was well-known to basketball fans because he played for Saint Mary's in college. However, he will always be remembered as one of LeBron James's teammates on the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, when they beat the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals in a very unlikely way.

Dellavedova made the league minimum of $490,000 when he joined the league in 2013. He has used his success to earn more than $40 million by the end of the 2019-20 season.

42. Ira Newsble

Position: Small forward/power forward

College: Miami (Ohio)

Career: 8 seasons (2000-08)

Teams: San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Seattle SuperSonics, Los Angeles Lakers

Stats: 380 G, 5.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.0 APG, 44.6 FG%

Accolades: N/A

Even though the odds are against them, it's always great to see players who are determined to make it to the NBA. After his senior year at Miami (Ohio) in 1997, Ira Newble did just that.

Before making it with the San Antonio Spurs in 2000, Newble played three full seasons in the International Basketball Association, the NBA G-League, and Cyprus.

Newble got eight seasons in the NBA with five different teams, thanks to his hard work.

43. Malik Allen

Position: Power forward

College: Villanova

Career: 10 seasons (2001-11)

Teams: Miami Heat, Charlotte Bobcats, Chicago Bulls, New Jersey Nets, Dallas Mavericks, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic

Stats: 478 G, 4.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 0.5 APG, 43.9 FG%

Accolades: N/A

Malik Allen was never a player who stood out, either in college or in the pros. Even though he wasn't drafted, he played in the NBA for 10 years and averaged 15.2 minutes per game, so he was always in the mix.

Allen stopped playing in 2011 and has been an assistant coach for the Pistons, the Timberwolves, and the Heat full-time since 2014.

44. Duane Ferrell

Position: Small forward or shooting guard

College: Georgia Tech

Career: 11 seasons (1988-19)

Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors

Stats: 583 G, 6.4 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.9 APG, 48.0 FG%

Accolades: N/A

Duane Ferrell's 11 years in the NBA were unusual not just because he wasn't picked in the draft but also because he only played for three teams.

In a long career, it's not uncommon for a player like Ferrell to play for more than 10 teams, but Ferrell only played for the Atlanta Hawks, the Golden State Warriors, and the Indiana Pacers. From 1991-92, he played for the Hawks and averaged a career-high 12.7 points in 24.2 minutes per game.

Ferrell worked in public relations for the Hawks from 1999 until 2016, when he retired.

45. Smush Parker

Position: Point guard/shooting guard

College: Fordham

Career: 6 seasons (2002-08)

Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers

Stats: 274 G, 9.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.9 APG, 42.6 FG%

Accolades: N/A

Smush Parker's time in the NBA was short but amazing. He is best known for going from being an undrafted nobody to the starting point guard for the Lakers. He also became famous for sometimes waving off Kobe Bryant. Which upset Bryant.

Parker had insane confidence, but it wasn't always a good thing.

Parker played for teams in China, Russia, Greece, Iran, Venezuela, Croatia, Tunisia, and the Dominican Republic for the next 10 years after he left the NBA in 2008. This is a very interesting fact.

46. Scott Brooks

Position: Point guard

Colleges: TCU, UC Irvine

Career: 10 seasons (1988-98)

Teams: Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers

Stats: 680 G, 4.9 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 2.4 APG, 45.0 FG%

Accolades: NBA champion (1994)

There aren't many players who are 5 feet 11 inches tall and weren't drafted into the NBA. One was Scott Brooks.

Brooks has been an NBA head coach for a long time and is now in charge of the Washington Wizards. He is one of the few players who didn't get picked in the draft to win an NBA championship, which he did with the Houston Rockets in 1994.

Brooks came the closest to winning an NBA title as a head coach in 2012 when he led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA Finals but lost to the Miami Heat.

47. Kevin Ollie

Position: Point guard

College: Connecticut

Career: 13 seasons (1997-2010)

Teams: Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder

Stats: 662 G, 3.8 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 2.3 APG, 41.0 FG%

Accolades: N/A

Kevin Ollie played for many different teams and was a very good point guard. Ollie was a great guy in the locker room. Three teams kept him on their roster for more than one season, and he played for 12 teams over 13 years.

Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and LeBron James have all said that Ollie taught them to be professionals early in their careers.

Ollie was hired as head coach at his alma mater, Connecticut, in 2012 and led the Huskies to a national championship in 2014. Ollie was fired in 2018 because he broke a lot of NCAA rules. The NCAA also gave him a "show cause" order that keeps him from coaching until at least 2022.

48. John Amaechi

Position: Power forward/center

Colleges: Vanderbilt, Penn State

Career: 5 seasons (1995-96, 1999-2003)

Teams: Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics

Stats: 294 G, 6.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.8 APG, 40.3 FG%

Accolades: N/A

John Amaechi did things his way, like turning down a $17 million contract with the Lakers in 2000 to stay in Orlando and make $600,000 a year instead, which made no sense because the Lakers had just won their first of three straight NBA titles when they made the offer.

But Amaechi, who didn't get drafted out of Penn State, had some great moments as a post player in the NBA. His career was even more interesting because he grew up in Great Britain and didn't start playing basketball until he was 17.

49. Adrian Griffin

Position: Small forward

College: Seton Hall

Career: 9 seasons (1999-2008)

Teams: Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls, Seattle SuperSonics

Stats: 477 G, 4.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.4 APG, 43.8 FG%

Accolades: N/A

Adrian Griffin grew up in Wichita, Kansas, was an All-Big East player at Seton Hall and has had a nearly 10-year career in the NBA, even though he wasn't picked in 1996.

Griffin got into the NBA because he worked hard and was good at defense. He played in the CBA and overseas for three years before getting his big break with the Boston Celtics in 1999.

The Griffins who come after this one should be even better. A.J. Griffin is Adrian's son. Griffin is likely to be a lottery pick in the NBA.

50. Alex Caruso

Position: Point guard

College: Texas A&M

Career: 4 seasons (2017-present)

Teams: Los Angeles Lakers

Stats: 184 G, 5.9 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.4 APG, 42.9 FG%

Accolades: N/A

Alex Caruso had a big year in his third season in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 9.2 points and 3.1 assists, which solidified his spot in the starting lineup.

Caruso was a role player all four years at Texas A&M and never averaged more than 9.0 points per game. This isn't exactly what NBA teams look for in a player, but he worked his way up from the summer league with the Oklahoma City Thunder and then made the roster for the Lakers.

Caruso is already a fan favorite and might play in the NBA for a long time.

FAQs

How many didn't NBA All-Stars get picked in the draft?

Of 438 players who didn't get picked in the draft, only Connie Hawkins, Moses Malone, Brad Miller, John Starks, and Ben Wallace were named "All-Stars."

Malone was the only player not picked in the draft to win MVP.

How do undrafted players get signed?

After three days and seven rounds, the NFL Draft is over, and teams can sign players who didn't get picked. Most teams' coaches and front office staff start calling players after the seventh round to let them know they're interested in signing them as free agents if they don't get picked.

Can you sign up twice for the NBA Draft?

A 19-year-old American player who signs a contract and plays for an international team is automatically eligible. No one can be picked in more than two drafts. If a player hires an agent or declares for the draft twice, they lose the right to play in college.

Conclusion

The best undrafted NBA player list is those who have the drive and determination to succeed. They are often overlooked by teams but have the talent to make an impact on the court. These players must work harder than anyone else to make it to the NBA and prove they belong.