NBA Draft 2019: 5 best undrafted players

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 17: Shamorie Ponds of St John's works out during the 2019 NBA Combine at Quest MultiSport Complex on May 17, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

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NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 16: Jontay Porter #11 of the Missouri Tigers plays against the Florida State Seminoles during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 16, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /

3. Jontay Porter, Big, Missouri

The reasons behind Jontay Porter going undrafted aren’t exactly a secret. He won’t play next year due to a re-torn ACL, and he has a significant injury history both in himself and his family. Teams aren’t exactly lining up to take someone that may never see the court and even if he does, may never be the same player they saw in a limited sample at Missouri.

But this isn’t an article about why the players went undrafted — it’s about the quality of the players in question, and in that regard, Porter is excellent. He’s one of the highest basketball IQ centers in recent memory, making passes and defensive reads that even guards miss. He’s skilled in several regards, including a strong jumper for a center that’s likely even better than the already acceptable college results suggest based on his mechanics. He’s showed an ability to improve his body, dropping several pounds between the 2018 and 2019 combines after a questionably high body fat percentage in 2018 threw up some red flags.

Overall, if we didn’t know about the ACL tears, or if teams had the ability to count the tears as a medical setback rather than a continuing red flag, then Porter might well have been a lottery talent. Unfortunately, he’s not, and he likely won’t be signed in the short run as a result, but he clearly belongs on any list of the best players that weren’t drafted.

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