Bruised Egos: All-Americans Frequently Have Been Bypassed in NBA Draft

June 23rd, 2017 - 7:50

Baylor All-American Johnathan Motley wasn't among the chosen few in this year's NBA draft. Of course, the NBA is a difficult nut to crack. Although he was an NCAA consensus second-team All-American, there was no guarantee he would be selected in 2017; primarily because of the emphasis on international players. Thus he took a crash-to-earth course at the school of hard knocks along with the following undrafted undergrads: James Blackmon (Indiana), Antonio Blakeney (Louisiana State), Isaiah Briscoe (Kentucky), Chance Comanche (Arizona), PJ Dozier (South Carolina), Isaac Humphries (Kentucky), Jaylen Johnson (Louisville), Eric Mika (Brigham Young), L.J. Peak (Georgetown), Xavier Rathan-Mayes (Florida State), Devin Robinson (Florida), Kobi Simmons (Arizona) and Melo Trimble (Maryland).

What were they thinking? Motley became the 10th NCAA consensus All-American to go undrafted in an eight-season span. Do you need any more evidence that the quality of play at the collegiate level has diminished in recent years? The NBA draft was reduced to seven rounds in 1985, three rounds in 1988 and to its present two rounds in 1989. Centers Bill Spivey of Kentucky and Sherman White of LIU, All-Americans in the early 1950s, went undrafted by the NBA allegedly because of possible repercussions stemming from a game-fixing scandal. A total of 32 All-Americans, five in 2011, have gone undrafted by the NBA thus far in the 21st Century.

Seven years ago, Sherron Collins (Kansas) and Scottie Reynolds (Villanova) became the initial NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans not to be selected in the NBA draft. They're not a motley crew, but following is an alphabetical list of All-Americans who weren't selected in an NBA draft:

Undrafted All-American Pos. School A-A Year(s)
Charlie Bell G Michigan State 2001
Melvin Booker G Missouri 1994**
Joe Capua G Wyoming 1956
Sherron Collins G Kansas 2009** and 2010*
Erwin Dudley F-C Alabama 2002
Melvin Ejim F Iowa State 2014**
Perry Ellis F Kansas 2016
C.J. Fair F Syracuse 2014**
Yogi Ferrell G Indiana 2016
Jason Gardner G Arizona 2002 and 2003**
Ben Hansbrough G Notre Dame 2011**
Udonis Haslem C Florida 2001 and 2002
Bobby Joe Hill G Texas Western 1966
Terrell "Tu" Holloway G Xavier 2011
Kevin Houston G Army 1987
Keith "Mister" Jennings G East Tennessee State 1991**
Kevin Jones F West Virginia 2012**
Sean Kilpatrick G Cincinnati 2014**
Brandin Knight G Pittsburgh 2002
Byron Larkin G Xavier 1988
Chris Lofton G Tennessee 2007** and 2008**
John Lucas III G Oklahoma State 2004
Billy McCaffrey G Vanderbilt 1993**
Jerel McNeal G Marquette 2009
Johnathan Motley F Baylor 2017
DeMarcus Nelson G-F Duke 2008
Kevin Pittsnogle F West Virginia 2006
Mike Pratt F Kentucky 1974
Hollis Price G Oklahoma 2003**
Jacob Pullen G Kansas State 2011
Allan Ray G Villanova 2006**
Dexter Reed G Memphis State 1977
Scottie Reynolds G Villanova 2010*
Bill Ridley G Illinois 1956
Juan "Pepe" Sanchez G Temple 2000
Jon Scheyer G Duke 2010**
Shea Seals F-G Tulsa 1997
Ron Slay F Tennessee 2003
Charles E. Smith G Georgetown 1989
Jordan Taylor G Wisconsin 2011
Seth Tuttle F-C Northern Iowa 2015**
Jarrod Uthoff F Iowa 2016
Fred VanVleet G Wichita State 2016
Scottie Wilbekin G Florida 2014
Max Williams G Southern Methodist 1960
Kyle Wiltjer F Gonzaga 2016
Andre Woolridge G Iowa 1997

*NCAA consensus first-team All-American.
**NCAA consensus second-team All-American.
NOTE: Bell, Booker, Collins, Ferrell, Hansbrough, Haslem, Jennings, Jones, Kilpatrick, Lucas, McNeal, Ray, Sanchez, Smith, VanVleet and Wiltjer went on to play in the NBA after signing as free agents. Pratt played in the ABA.