Throughout NBA history some players that have gone undrafted have been fortunate enough to get signed to teams and work their way up to become an option on an NBA roster.
The forunate few that have gone through this process have gone on to have great careers in the NBA and become valuable players on championship teams. In the last ten years, these four players have been considered the best undrafted free agent signings.
1. Fred VanVleet, Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors signed Fred VanVleet as an undrafted free agent in 2016. VanVleet cracked Toronto's roster after working his way up through the G-League. VanVleet's coming-out party came during the 2019 NBA Finals when the Raptors upset the Golden State Warriors in six games.
VanVleet played seven seasons with the Raptors, during which he consistently improved his talent. His best season with the Raptors came during the 2021-22 season, where he averaged 20.3 points per game, 6.7 assists, and 4.4 rebounds. Now with the Houston Rockets, VanVleet continues to be a valuable player on an NBA roster. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game, 5.6 assists, and 3.7 rebounds.
2. Alex Caruso, Los Angeles Lakers
A valuable player on the Oklahoma City Thunder's championship team this year and the Los Angeles Lakers' title team in 2020, Alex Caruso went from the G-League to an NBA roster. Caruso's first appearance in the NBA came during the 2017-18 season with the Lakers.
Caruso would become a rotation player for the Lakers in 2019-20, and since then, he has become a significant player for the Chicago Bulls and the Thunder. Caruso was also named to the All-NBA Defensive First team, a significant honor for a player that went undrafted.
3. Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers
Since going undrafted as a guard out of Oklahoma, Austin Reaves has become a significant contributor to the Lakers in his four seasons with the franchise. Last season, Reaves averaged 20.2 points per game, 5.8 assists, and 4.5 rebounds.
Perhaps just as indicative of his success in Los Angeles, Reaves is now the topic of discussion for a massive extension, recently turning down a max offer from the Lakers that was depressed due to his status as an undrafted signing, meaning he can earn more after this season.
4. Luguentz Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder
Another valuable player from this year's Thunder championship team, Luguentz Dort, went undrafted as a guard out of Arizona State. Since the Thunder picked him up in 2019, Dort has become a valuable option for the Thunder as he has worked his way up to become a starter.
In his six seasons with Oklahoma City, Dort has averaged 12.2 points per game, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. He has proven himself to be a lockdown defender for the NBA's best defense, as he was named to the NBA All-Defensive First team this past season.