Cliff Alexander goes from top-five recruit to undrafted in one year
In the first 11 NBA drafts since Rivals.com began ranking high school basketball prospects, ex-Tennessee wing Scotty Hopson had been the only top-five recruit to go unselected.
Hopson finally has company on that not-so-illustrious list.
Sixty prospects heard their names called during Thursday night’s NBA draft, however, former Kansas big man Cliff Alexander wasn’t one of them. The consensus top-five recruit ranked ahead of Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell only a year ago will now have to try to latch on with an NBA franchise as an undrafted free agent and win a roster spot in training camp.
Alexander’s draft night tumble comes on the heels of an underwhelming freshman season at Kansas.
Hailed as an elite power forward capable of overpowering defenders in the paint and dominating the glass, Alexander flashed only occasional glimpses of that potential. A foot injury last summer and a chest ailment during the season hampered Alexander, as did the playing time he lost with his inconsistent production and effort.
Things only got worse for Alexander when his season ended amid an NCAA investigation after his mother, Latillia, accepted improper benefits from a third party. Alexander averaged a modest 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds, yet he had little choice but to leave Kansas since he was unlikely to be eligible to play right away the following season.
Many mock drafts still projected Alexander as a late first-round pick when he entered in April, but some red flags began emerging. He measured at just over 6-foot-7 without shoes, he suffered a knee injury that hampered him during workouts and he failed to prove to skeptical scouts that he had good enough footwork, outside shooting or athleticism to make up for being undersized.
While that certainly explains why no NBA team used a first-round pick on Alexander, it’s still shocking that none of them bothered to take a second-round flier on him. This is a kid that many compared favorably with Towns and Jahlil Okafor as recently as a year or two ago.
Give Alexander credit for his positive attitude after what had to be one of the most disappointing nights of his life.
Alexander has plenty of company on the bottom Thursday night as he is one of 18 underclassmen who entered the draft early but were not among the 60 players selected. Here’s a look at the most high-profile early-entry candidates to go undrafted.
1. Cliff Alexander, F, Kansas
Comment: The culmination of a stunning fall for a top-five recruit frequently mentioned in the same breath as Jahlil Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns as recently as a year ago.
2. Christian Wood, F, UNLV
Comment: The 6-foot-11 forward is a tantalizing combination of size and length, but his maturity and work ethic are both lacking.
3. Robert Upshaw, C, Washington
Comment: Even though Upshaw is the best shot blocker in this draft, concerns about his off-court issues and his heart problems kept him from being selected.
4. Aaron Harrison, G, Kentucky
Comment: Had Harrison been selected on Thursday, Kentucky would have been the first school to have seven draft picks in one year.
5. Brandon Ashley, F, Arizona
Comment: The one-time highly touted recruit has a nice pick-and-pop jump shot but no other elite skills to set him apart from other prospects.
6. Trevor Lacey, G, N.C. State
Comment: Lacey’s decision to leave school a year early made sense because of his age even though he was not selected. He’ll make a lucrative salary overseas if he doesn’t make an NBA roster.
7. Chris Walker, F, Florida
Comment: An NBA-caliber athlete who still looks like he doesn’t know how to play basketball, Walker had no business leaving school early.
8. Michael Qualls, G, Arkansas
Comment: An ill-timed knee injury during workouts wrecked Qualls’ hopes of being selected in the second round.
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
