Fifty-eight players had their name called at the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday night – but there were a handful of recognizable college superstars who didn’t.
Drew Timme, the three-time All-American star big man from Gonzaga who was a staple in March Madness tournaments over the past several years, was perhaps the most notable undrafted player at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The 22-year-old forward, who averaged 21.2 points and 7.5 rebounds during his senior year at Gonzaga, ended up signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Milwaukee Bucks after the draft ended, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Timme was not the only highly recognizable name to miss out on being drafted.
Adama Sanogo, the UConn who was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after the Huskies cruised to a national championship this past season, did not get his name called, either.
The center, who averaged 19.6 points during the tournament, agreed to a two-way deal with the Chicago Bulls.
Oscar Tshiebwe, who was named the Naismith Player of the Year in 2021 with the Kentucky Wildcats, was another post player who didn’t get drafted.
As of Friday morning, he apparently had yet to agree to a deal with an NBA team.
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Arkansas standout Ricky Council and Arizona star Azoulis Tubelis were two other notable players who didn’t hear their names called from the Barclays Center dais, with both agreeing to deals with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The lack of big names in the draft is particularly interesting in 2023, in the era where college players can now make money off their name, image and likeness (NIL) for the first time in the history of the NCAA.
NBA teams clearly don’t always value the same traits that make college players successful, with some of the best players garnering little interest from the pro teams, which could lead to players staying in college longer.
Meanwhile, four of the top five players in the draft – Victor Wembanyama (who went to the Spurs), Scoot Henderson (who went to the Trail Blazers) and Amen and Ausar Thompson (Rockets and Pistons) – didn’t play in college at all.
Wembanyama entered the NBA as a pro in France, Henderson starred on G League Ignite and the Thompson twins played for Overtime Elite.