Fansided

10 best undrafted NBA players of all time

By Jakob Ashlin

Feb 14, 2012; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace (6) during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at The Palace. Spurs defeated the Pistons 99-95. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 14, 2012; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace (6) during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at The Palace. Spurs defeated the Pistons 99-95. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
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Best undrafted NBA players
17 Feb 1998: Guard Avery Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs (center) talks to his teammates during a game against the Detroit Pistons at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs defeated the Pistons 95-94. Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport /

Best undrafted NBA players of all-time: 7. Avery Johnson

1x NBA Champion

In hindsight, it is shocking that Johnson went undrafted. In 1988, he broke the NCAA single-season record for assists per game (13.3); that record still stands today.

Following the draft, he joined the Palm Beach Stingrays in the United States Basketball League. Johnson eventually signed with the Seattle SuperSonics. Over the first six years of his career, he bounced around the league, spending time with the Sonics, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs (twice), Houston Rockets, and Golden State Warriors.

He returned to San Antonio in 1994-95 and became a regular starter. In 1995-96, he averaged a career-high 9.6 assists per game (third-most in the NBA).

Johnson would go on to spend seven years with the franchise. He was a starter on their 1999 championship team, averaging 12.6 points, 7.4 assists, and 1.2 steals in the postseason. He is second in franchise history in total assists (4,474), trailing only Tony Parker.

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