NBA Draft 2017: 5 best undrafted players
By Chris Stone
The NBA Draft is over, but there’s still value in the free agency market. Here’s a look at the five best undrafted players.
There are almost always more than 60 guys in an NBA Draft class worthy of getting a shot at making a roster or at least being secured to a franchise’s G-League affiliate. The 2017 group of undrafted free agents is particularly strong as the number of potential rotation players in this draft was quite high. Here’s a look at the best available options.
5. Jeremy Morgan, SG, Northern Iowa
The search for 3-and-D prospects will continue long after the draft has concluded and Northern Iowa’s Jeremy Morgan is one of the best available on the undrafted free agent market. He averaged 17.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per 40 minutes as a senior.
Morgan, though, is already 22-years old and whatever team lands him will be hoping that he can replicate his junior season more than his senior campaign. That’s because as a junior, Morgan shot 40.7 percent on his 3-point attempts and averaged 2.4 steals and 1.1 blocks per 40 minutes. He ranked in the 90th percentile of Division I on spot up shooting efficiency at 1.156 points per possession, per Synergy Sports. He also finished in the 78th percentile on catch-and-shoot jumpers at 1.163 points per possession.
As a senior, Morgan’s efficiency numbers dipped likely due to his substantial increase in usage rate, but at the NBA level, he won’t be asked to carry a team’s offense like he was with the Panthers. Morgan is a smart player who defends at a reasonably high level and projects to shoot it pretty well in the league. That’s certainly worth a flyer for someone now that he’s gone undrafted.