The dreams of 58 basketball prospects came true over the course of the first-ever two-day NBA Draft this week as franchises made their selections of players they hope will become mainstays on their rosters in the years ahead.
Several players who harbored legitimate aspirations of being selected went unpicked and will now be left to scrap for free-agent deals that will carry slim odds of leading to roster spots.
Among the notable snubs were Kentucky wing Justin Edwards, Creighton guard Trey Alexander, and Clemson big man PJ Hall, all of whom played key roles on high-caliber college teams in the 2023-24 season.
Undoubtedly, the sting of going undrafted will linger for these young talents who invested years of relentless effort into their craft with the hope of hearing their names called. Edwards, a standout at Kentucky, remarkably became the first player ranked in the top three of the Top247 Composite as a recruit to go undrafted. His exclusion from the draft pool was a shock to many scouts and analysts who had touted his potential throughout his college tenure.
For players like Edwards, Alexander, and Hall, the immediate path ahead involves securing two-way contracts—a route reportedly taken by a handful of this year's snubs shortly after the draft concluded. These deals offer a glimmer of hope, providing a platform to demonstrate their skillsets and vie for a more permanent spot on an NBA roster. Two-way contracts typically allow a player to spend up to 45 days with the NBA team while spending the rest of their time developing in the G League.
Furthermore, the NBA Summer League represents another crucial opportunity for undrafted players to showcase their abilities. Historically, the Summer League has been a proving ground for many overlooked players to make a name for themselves. For athletes like Edwards, Alexander, and Hall, excelling in this setting could open doors that seemed firmly shut on draft night.
Justin Edwards’ exclusion is particularly significant. As the first player ranked as high as third in the Top247 Composite to go undrafted, it underscores the unpredictability and fierce competition within the league. The disappointment of missing out on the draft will undoubtedly fuel his determination as he transitions to the next phase of his career, whether that be in the Summer League or through a regimen of private training to prepare for future opportunities.
Creighton's Trey Alexander and Clemson's PJ Hall, too, will need to navigate this unexpected detour. Both players were integral to their teams’ successes last season and have shown qualities that should translate well at the professional level. Alexander, with his adept ball-handling and scoring prowess, offers versatility that teams covet in a guard. Similarly, Hall's presence in the paint and his ability to stretch defenses with mid-range shooting make him a valuable asset for the modern, pace-and-space NBA game.
In the aftermath of the draft, the focus now shifts to how these undrafted prospects can leverage their circumstances to their advantage. They are not entirely starting from scratch; instead, they must view this as a detour—a different yet viable path to achieving their NBA dreams.
As the Summer League approaches, the basketball community will keep a keen eye on these undrafted talents. Their journeys will be closely followed, not only out of a sense of underdog curiosity but also because each summer inevitably reveals hidden gems who defy the odds. Justin Edwards, Trey Alexander, and PJ Hall have another chance to rewrite their narratives, proving once again that the NBA dream, while elusive, is never entirely out of reach.