Why some of the best basketball players who could have made it to the NBA never did.
The NBA is widely regarded as the premier basketball league worldwide, making it the ultimate objective for many basketball players. Some players work hard to realize their NBA dreams, while others are actively sought after by NBA teams.
However, only a select few possess the exceptional abilities required to compete in the NBA. Unfortunately, some of these talented individuals have made choices that have resulted in their inability to play in the league.
Numerous factors contributed to their decision not to join the Association, such as drug-related concerns, tragic deaths, monetary limitations, flawed evaluations by NBA talent scouts, and additional influences.
Our discussion will focus on the seven most prominent basketball players who never competed in the NBA.
Good Basketball Players Who Never Made It to the NBA
1.Dejan “White Magic” Bodiroga
While Dejan Bodiroga may not be a household name in America, he is a widely recognized figure in the basketball world. Standing at an impressive 6’9″, he exhibited his talents in several countries, including Yugoslavia, Italy, Spain, and Greece, consistently outperforming his opponents. Bodiroga earned numerous MVP awards, including two EuroLeague MVPs and a FIBA World Cup MVP in 2002.
Bodiroga was a consistent scorer, often achieving 20 points and 5 rebounds per game. Despite being selected by Sacramento in the second round of the 1995 draft, he declined to play in the NBA and instead became a dominant force in European basketball.
At the 1996 Olympics, Bodiroga led the Yugoslav national team to a second-place finish, narrowly losing to a star-studded U.S. team featuring Reggie Miller and David Robinson. Bodiroga retired from basketball in 2007, leaving behind a legacy as one of the sport’s greatest players
2. Sergio Llull
Although the NBA has expressed interest in Sergio Llull, he has opted to remain satisfied with his accomplishments at Real Madrid. Llull, who excels as a versatile guard, possesses remarkable speed and exceptional long-range shooting abilities.
During the 2016-17 season, Llull was honored with the EuroLeague MVP award and has since become a prominent member of the Spanish national basketball team, which has also seen the emergence of NBA talents such as Ricky Rubio and Jose Calderon. Llull’s impressive achievements include winning two Olympic medals representing Spain – a silver in 2012 and a bronze in 2016.
Although he was selected as the 34th pick by the Nuggets in the 2009 Draft, the Rockets purchased his draft rights for a significant amount of $2.25 million, which was considered substantial at the time. Nevertheless, Llull has chosen to remain loyal to Real Madrid for the entirety of his career.
3. Skip Wise
Skip Wise was a standout player at a Baltimore high school in the 1970s, leading his team from Dunbar to victory against the dominant DeMatha squad, which included future Basketball Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley.
Standing at 6’2″, Wise was a robust guard who excelled at Clemson. He made history as the inaugural freshman to earn first-team All-ACC, with an impressive average of 18 PPG. Despite his talent, he left college after only a year to join the American Basketball Association.
Unfortunately, his career was derailed by drug use, as was the case with several others on this list. He was caught using heroin while playing for the Warriors and was promptly released. Wise later joined the Spurs, but his stint with the team was short-lived as he was released after just two games. He was later incarcerated for drug trafficking. After his career ended, Wise returned to Baltimore and began working at a community center.
4. Dimitris Diamantidis
Dimitris Diamantidis enjoyed a prosperous basketball profession in Europe, but unfortunately, he was not chosen in the 2002 NBA Draft.
Even though NBA teams tried to recruit him later on, Diamantidis decided to stay in Europe, as confirmed by his former coach Kostas Pilafidis.
Diamantidis’ unselfish and adaptable playing approach has earned him a multitude of awards in European basketball, such as three Euroleague titles, an MVP recognition, six Best Defender honors, nine Greek League championships, and numerous others.
5. Lenny Cooke
Although LeBron James was considered a rising star after finishing high school, he wasn’t always the top prospect in his class. Surprisingly, Lenny Cooke was ranked higher than both James and Carmelo Anthony.
However, Cooke’s luck took a turn for the worse when he entered the NBA Draft a year earlier than planned. Despite receiving assurances from agents and NBA teams that he would be selected, Cooke was ultimately left undrafted in the 2002 NBA Draft.
Despite his potential, he had to settle for playing in minor basketball leagues. Although the Boston Celtics invited him to play in the NBA Summer League, he never received an NBA contract. As a result, he decided to showcase his skills overseas, playing in China and the Philippines.
6. Earl Manigault
With a remarkable height of 6’1, Earl Manigault exhibited extraordinary athleticism that was unmatched in his time.
He gained recognition in high school by achieving a New York record of 57 points, which drew the interest of numerous people.
Even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the top scorer in NBA history, admitted that Manigault was his toughest adversary.
7. Ramunas Siskauskas
Ramunas Siskauskas could arguably be considered the most exceptional basketball player to never play in the NBA. DraftExpress deemed him the most versatile player outside of the NBA.
Although he didn’t showcase his versatility in the NBA, Siskauskas dominated in Europe, securing two Euroleague championships, five Russian League titles, and the Euroleague MVP award.
During the 2010 Preseason Games, Siskauskas came closest to playing in the NBA, leading CSKA Moscow to a 90-87 victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 22-point performance.
