NBA Draft: 5 greatest undrafted players of all time

#3 John Starks

Undrafted in the 1988 NBA Draft

Beth Stern, Victor Cruz And Walt Frazier At TWC Studios

John Starks was a solid pro in the 1990s NBA picture and a recurrent image in the NBA Playoffs as a member of the New York Knicks.

Though he played 23 games in his rookie year (1988-89) with the Golden State Warriors, Starks was out of the league the following year after getting released by the team.

Starks then signed as a free agent with the New York Knicks in 1990 and returned to the NBA. In eight seasons in the Big Apple, Starks averaged 14 points and four assists per game in the regular season.

He had the same averages in 96 games in the NBA Playoffs, and made one All-Star game, made one All-Defense team, and won the Sixth Man of the Year Award. All after not being considered among the 75 players selected in the 1988 NBA Draft.

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#2 Connie Hawkins

Undrafted in the 1964 NBA Draft

The Hawk scored more than 8,000 points in the NBA.

Connie Hawkins' story is probably one of the most iconic among undrafted NBA players.

Though he eventually became a great NBA player and a member of the Hall of Fame, Hawkins' career started by being blackballed in the 1964 NBA Draft because he got expelled from the University of Iowa for being named in a point-shaving scandal.

He went undrafted in 1964 and then was officially banned from the NBA in 1966. After Hawkins filed a lawsuit against the NBA for being banned without substantial evidence, the league eventually settled and allowed him to play.

And play he did.

Hawkins had won the ABA Most Valuable Player award in his first season, averaging 26 points and 13 rebounds. He had career averages of 19 points, nine rebounds, and four assists per game in seven NBA seasons with the Phoenix Suns, the LA Lakers, and the Atlanta Hawks.

He was a four-time NBA All-Star and earned one All-NBA selection. In 1992, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

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#1 Ben Wallace

Undrafted in the 1996 NBA Draft

Detroit Pistons v Atlanta Hawks

Ben Wallace is the best undrafted player in the history of the NBA. Of course, when you see the rookie class of the 1996 NBA Draft, led by Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, and Steve Nash, you can understand Wallace not making it.

However, as many as three centers selected in that NBA Draft did not play a single game in the league while Wallace was left out.

Still, Big Ben became one of the greatest defensive players in the league's history and was the most important piece of one of the greatest defensive teams in NBA history, the 2004 NBA champions, Detroit Pistons.

Wallace also won a record four NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award (tied with Dikembe Mutombo) and made four All-Star teams, five All-NBA teams, and six All-Defense teams.

He also led the league twice in rebounding and ranked in the all-time top-20 in Defensive Win Shares ahead of Mutombo, Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan, and many other great defenders. Wallace was simply another great player from the 1996 rookie class, regardless of whether he was part of the NBA Draft or not.

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