The NBA Draft is officially behind us. Although the draft was full of very special moments that’ll define the NBA’s trajectory for the next several years, some of the draft’s later moments went unnoticed. So, as we do here at Slept On, it’s time to honor those moments (or lack thereof) for players who deserve more recognition for their role on their new teams. These are the most Slept On players and moments from the 2019 NBA Draft.
NAZ REID GOES UNDRAFTED
LSU’s Nazreon Reid was one of the most sought after players out of high school. His impressive senior year with nationally-ranked Roselle Catholic School earned him a trip to the McDonald’s All-American Game and a top-15 ranking in the ESPN 100. After being heavily recruited following a strong showing in the MCDAAG, Reid decided to attend LSU with fellow top recruits Javonte Smart and Emmitt Williams.
In his one year at LSU, Reid led the Tigers to a Sweet Sixteen appearance and averaged nearly 14 PPG. He also flashed his incredible size, shooting range, athleticism, and aggressive play style. However, within his incredible resumé was one tragic flaw: inconsistency. In each game this season, Reid was a different player. One game he’d be a rebounding, low-post-focused big man, the next he’d serve as a point-forward pulling up for contested three-pointers. This inconsistency in his game and scoring was enough to scare teams away. He went undrafted.
The Minnesota Timberwolves showed a little faith in Reid, signing him to a two-way contract after the draft. Although he ended up getting a shot in the league, I still believe he should’ve been included in the 60 picks. Reid has an NBA-ready body, strong physical tools, and a bag of tricks that may be unique enough to be successful in an ever-changing NBA. Reid, I believe, will establish himself as a solid NBA player and leave the teams who didn’t draft him scratching their heads.
BOL BOL AND NASSIR LITTLE SLIP
There was no doubt that Bol and Little would hear their names called in the 2019 Draft. Most predictions, however, had both being selected MUCH earlier. They both had struggles in their freshmen college seasons.
Little struggled to show his full skill-set in a North Carolina system that favored team basketball over Little’s play. The former McDonald’s All-American Game MVP averaged just 9.8 PPG for the Tar Heels but showed signs of strength. Nevertheless, teams were hesitant to draft Little, afraid that he wouldn’t be able to adapt to the team basketball aspect that’s all too important in the NBA.
Still, Little’s upside is just too high. He has the physical tools to succeed in the NBA and has shown bursts of being an elite scorer and an even stronger shot-blocker. Portland picked him with the 25th pick in the draft, hoping he’ll add length and defensive variability to their elite second unit.
Bol Bol’s story is much different. He showed incredible skills to go with his insane 7’2″ height and freakish length during his short stint at Oregon. However, an injury quickly ended Bol’s season and caused a once guaranteed top pick to be predicted closer to the late first round.
When draft night came, Bol slipped even further than expected – all the way to the 44th pick. Bol’s new team, the Denver Nuggets, are well known for risky draft picks recently. Last year, they selected Michael Porter Jr. in the first round of the 2018 Draft. Now, the Nuggets hold two of the highest ceiling players to continue to push the Nuggets success higher and higher.
