Items14The creator’s order
  1. 1John StarksJohn StarksBorn 10 Aug 1965Undrafted in 1988, Starks had bagged groceries and bounced through junior college before the Knicks gave him a chance. He became the fiery shooting guard of Pat Riley's 1990s New York teams, an All-Star in 1994 and Sixth Man of the Year in 1997. His left-handed dunk over Michael Jordan and Horace…0i
  2. 2Avery JohnsonAvery JohnsonThe Little General went undrafted in 1988 and was cut several times before settling in San Antonio, where he ran the offence for Tim Duncan and David Robinson. His baseline jumper won the decisive Game 5 of the 1999 Finals. He later became NBA Coach of the Year with Dallas, so his basketball brain…0i
  3. 3Bruce BowenBruce BowenBorn 14 Jun 1971Bowen went undrafted in 1993 and spent years in France and the CBA before sticking in the NBA. In San Antonio he became the league's best perimeter stopper and a corner three-point shooter, making eight All-Defensive teams and winning three titles. He is the template for the modern three-and-D…0i
  4. 4Ben Wallace (basketball)Ben Wallace (basketball)Born 10 Sept 1974The most decorated undrafted player in NBA history. Ben Wallace went unpicked in 1996 out of tiny Virginia Union, played briefly in Italy, then became a four-time Defensive Player of the Year and the anchor of Detroit's 2004 title team. Undersized for a centre at around 6ft 9in, he won with…0i
  5. 5Becky HammonBecky HammonBorn 11 Mar 1977Hammon went undrafted in the 1999 WNBA draft and joined the New York Liberty as a free agent, then became a six-time All-Star with New York and San Antonio, known for fearless shooting and running an offence. She later became an NBA assistant coach and the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces, winning…0i
  6. 6Udonis HaslemUdonis HaslemBorn 9 Jun 1980Haslem was undrafted in 2002, played a season in France, then joined his hometown Miami Heat and stayed for 20 seasons, winning three titles. He was a tough, undersized power forward with a reliable mid-range jumper, and later a leader whose minutes were mostly in practice. The Heat retired his…0i
  7. 7Wesley MatthewsWesley MatthewsBorn 14 Oct 1986Undrafted from Marquette in 2009, Matthews made Utah's roster as a rookie and went on to a 15-year career as a three-and-D wing in Portland, Dallas, Milwaukee and elsewhere, often guarding the opponent's best scorer. He was one of the most reliable perimeter defenders of his era, and his career…0i
  8. 8Jeremy LinJeremy LinLin went undrafted out of Harvard in 2010, was cut twice and was sleeping on a team-mate's couch when Mike D'Antoni gave him minutes for the Knicks in February 2012. Linsanity followed: a run of high-scoring wins, including 38 points against Kobe Bryant's Lakers. He later won a title as a reserve…0i
  9. 9Erica WheelerErica WheelerBorn 2 May 1991Wheeler went undrafted in the 2013 WNBA draft and played overseas before sticking with the Indiana Fever as a free agent. In 2019 she was named WNBA All-Star Game MVP, a remarkable turn for a player no team had picked. Her story is a reminder that the WNBA's small rosters make an undrafted path…0i
  10. 10Fred VanVleetFred VanVleetBorn 25 Feb 1994Bet on yourself: VanVleet went undrafted from Wichita State in 2016, chose Toronto's offer and developed through Raptors 905 in the G League. He hit huge shots in the 2019 Finals as the Raptors won their first title, became an All-Star in 2022 and later signed one of the biggest contracts ever…0i