tamil yogi
More often than not, future stars of the NBA have spent years affixed atop recruiting rankings, starring on the grassroots circuit and earning national attention as high school prospects. They were known long before they reached the pros.
But every year, a handful of players take a different path. Talent ultimately determines who reaches the NBA, but perseverance, work ethic, coachability and competitive drive often determine who maximizes it. Once drafted, summer league serves as the first glimpse of how a player could look against his peers — which includes free agents and other early-career professionals fighting for roster spots.
None of the players below was in the SC Next 100 rankings when he finished high school. Some of them were late bloomers physically. Others needed time to develop their skill sets, confidence or understanding of the game. A few simply landed in the right college program at the right time. What they all shared, however, was a willingness to keep improving, long after many evaluators had moved on to the next recruiting class.
Ultimately, they managed to carve out their own developmental paths and become first-round draft picks who are now taking another step, starting in the summer league.
Here’s how, and why, they got there.
Pick: No. 5
College: Illinois
High school rank: Low four-star
Wagler was a two-time state champion in Kansas and the 2024-25 Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year, so he wasn’t entirely under the radar. But he projected more as a mid-major centerpiece or a high-major role player than a future NBA lottery pick.
He didn’t receive any high-major offers until August 2024, from both Illinois and Minnesota.
“His game film was attractive and that’s how we fell in love with his game,” Illinois assistant coach Tyler Underwood reported. “His steadfast ability to make simple plays, along with his shotmaking and playmaking stood out.”
The 6-foot-6 guard ultimately committed to the Illini, weighing just 170 pounds with significant room to develop physically. Wagler’s competitiveness was evident on the grassroots circuit as well, where he played for Victor Williams Basketball Academy.
“He makes others better with his winning and basketball IQ,” Williams reported. “He has a gift for processing the game in real time.”
College basketball impact
Not even Illinois anticipated how quickly Wagler would emerge.
“We thought he could be a contributor, but we never saw any of this,” Underwood reported.
Arguably his biggest moment of the season — which included a run to the Final Four — came when he had 46 points against Purdue in an 88-82 win in late January. Wagler was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, after leading the Illini in scoring (17.9 points), assists (4.2) and steals (0.9) while finishing second on the team in 3-point percentage (39.7%). Per Just Play Solutions, Wagler was responsible for 36% of Illinois’ assists and the team scored 1.3 points per possession while he was on the floor.
Why he fits with the Clippers
Evaluators viewed Wagler as the best traditional playmaking point guard in this draft class, and he has all the tools to become a productive long-term combo guard under Clippers head coach Ty Lue. The physicality of this next level — the summer league allows 10 fouls per player — will clearly be his biggest adjustment, though he has gained noticeable muscle and weight since the end of the college season.
He could follow a similar trajectory to Philadelphia 76ers guard Anfernee Simons, who entered the league at 160 pounds 10 years ago and is now up to 200 pounds and an effective all-around scorer.
Pick: No. 17
College: Stanford
High school rank: Three-star
Editor’s Picks
The New Hampshire native began his high school career at Cushing Academy before transferring to Brewster Academy, while playing his summer ball for BABC. As a senior, he shot 54.5% from the field and 38.5% from 3 while earning New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year honors alongside four-star teammate Sebastian Wilkins.
But at 6-2 and 185 pounds, he projected as a low- to mid-major prospect. He initially committed to Harvard before reopening his recruitment and choosing Stanford. No other schools offered him in the Northeast except the Ivy Leagues.
College basketball impact
The summer session at Stanford was a turning point in Okorie’s development.
“I watched film of the practices and spent time on my body and shooting along with my ballhandling,” he reported.
Okorie secured a starting spot prior to the team’s first scrimmage, and went on to average 23 points on 46.5% shooting, including 35.4% from deep on the season. He led the ACC in scoring — including a 40-point outing against Georgia Tech in early February — and finished third among all freshmen in points per game, trailing only AJ Dybantsa and Darius Acuff Jr.
“I took the positive of not being ranked in high school,” Okorie reported. “I didn’t get down about it. It motivated me. I traveled to find the best competition to play with and against. My parents taught me that I would have to work for everything and nothing would be handed to me. Playing professional basketball was always the goal. I just didn’t know how long it would take.”
Why he fits with the Pistons
Originally picked by the Thunder then traded to Detroit via Memphis, Okorie’s nearly 6-8 wingspan drew attention from evaluators throughout the predraft process and helped reinforce his NBA potential, despite his height. And he has already shown his fit early in summer league. Against the Sixers in his debut game, Okorie went 8-of-16 overall with four assists to just one turnover in 30 minutes. Scoring is Okorie’s strength, so he should pair perfectly playing either alongside Cade Cunningham or in more of a primary role when the lead guard heads to the bench.
Pick: No. 11
College: Arizona Western College, UAB, Michigan
High school rank: Unranked
A late bloomer, Lendeborg has taken a circuitous basketball path. He was academically ineligible for much of his high school career at Pennsauken High School in New Jersey and appeared in only 11 games as a senior.
College basketball impact
Lendeborg began his college career at Arizona Western College, where he developed into a two-time junior college All-American. He then committed to St. John’s, before reopening his recruitment following the departure of Mike Anderson. He ultimately landed at UAB.
“We connected with him early and focused on developing habits,” UAB head coach Andy Kennedy reported. “He became a great rebounder, passer and defender capable of guarding multiple positions. He also had great character.”
UAB quickly realized confidence would be a major factor in unlocking Lendeborg’s potential.
“I saw what everybody sees now,” Kennedy reported. “We had to help him create habits he didn’t have. I also had to convince him how good he was. I thought he was an NBA player, but I felt we had to pull it out of him.”
Over two seasons, Lendeborg won a pair of American Conference Defensive Player of the Year awards. He briefly entered the 2025 draft, projecting as a late first-round pick, then opted to withdraw. Thanks to a then-new NCAA rule, he was granted another season of college eligibility, and transferred to Michigan to play for Dusty May, a close friend of Kennedy’s.
It was a perfect pairing. As one of the Wolverines’ trio of big men, Lendeborg emerged as a consensus All-American, averaging 15.1 points while shooting 37.2% from 3. He became the ultimate facilitator and focused on creating for others, using his instincts, passing vision and feel for the game to lead the Wolverines to the national title.
Why he fits with the Warriors
So far this summer, Lendeborg has done exactly what he was drafted to do: score, rebound and play with advanced natural instincts. His scoring versatility and IQ should allow him to play with any lineup Steve Kerr puts on the floor. His maturity and ability to read and react under pressure within the flow of a possession is an ideal fit for the Warriors’ system. He fits their culture, too.
Pick: No. 18
College: Texas Tech
High school rank: Three-star
Anderson measured at 5-6 as a high school freshman and added four inches by his senior year at Oak Hill Academy. Despite his growth, and reputation as a great long-range shooter, he remained overlooked.
His biggest offer came early: in eighth grade, from then-Michigan coach Juwan Howard. He committed to the Wolverines, but reopened his recruitment when Howard was fired at the end of the 2023-24 season.
College basketball impact
Anderson committed late to Texas Tech, waiting until after his senior season to choose Grant McCasland’s program over Fresno State.
Anderson earned All-Big 12 Freshman Team honors in 2024-25 before taking on a much larger role as a sophomore this past season and averaging 18.5 points and 7.4 assists while shooting 41.5% from 3. Playing for McCasland, who puts a heavy emphasis on shooting and IQ, was an ideal fit to accentuate his strengths and help outperform his high school ranking.
All of ESPN. All in one place.
Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now
“He’s resilient and he cares about winning. Few players have that combination,” McCasland reported. “He looks to make the right play. He played off the ball and made shots as a freshman, and then went on the ball and became the best assist maker in recent history at Texas Tech.”
Why he fits with the Hornets
Anderson’s German national team experience put him on the radar of evaluators. He led the U16 team in scoring on the way to winning bronze at the 2022 European Youth Olympic Festival in Slovakia. A year later, he earned another bronze medal with Germany at the 2023 FIBA U18 European Championship. In 2025, Anderson averaged 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.6 assists while leading Germany to a silver medal at the FIBA U19 World Cup.
“He has a knack for big moments. He does not shy away,” McCasland reported.
With LaMelo Ball gone, the Hornets have a clear need at point guard. Anderson shot just 2-of-11 in his summer league debut, but it’s not uncommon for rookies to struggle as they adjust to new teammates, terminology and the physical pace of the NBA game. Expect Charlotte to develop him behind Coby White and Sion James, and when it all comes together, Anderson will be a 3-point weapon who can make quick playmaking decisions.
Pick: No. 16
College: Northwest Missouri State, Drake, Iowa
High school rank: NR
Stirtz played for his father at Liberty High School in Missouri and developed into a two-time all-state selection, conference player of the year and the school’s third all-time leading scorer.
Despite his production with a local AAU team, Stirtz generated little Division I interest. His primary scholarship opportunities came from Division II programs William Jewell and Northwest Missouri State, and he ultimately chose the latter.
College basketball impact
Stirtz earned MIAA Freshman of the Year honors while leading the conference in field goal percentage (60.1%) and posting the fifth-best assist-to-turnover ratios among Division II freshmen. He averaged 15 points per game as a sophomore before following coach Ben McCollum to D-I Drake.
“I was comfortable on the court,” Stirtz reported. “The frontcourt guys were a little bigger, but I adjusted.”
Stirtz earned Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year honors after leading the league in scoring, assists and steals, and led the Bulldogs to the second round of the NCAA tournament. And when McCollum moved up to the Big Ten, Stirtz followed him to Iowa.
Rather than take a step back in a more physical conference, Stirtz thrived. He averaged 19 points and led the Hawkeyes to an Elite Eight appearance.
Why he fits with the Thunder
“I could always shoot the ball and make good decisions,” Stirtz reported. “I’m not the most athletic guy, although I’m quicker than I look. The work has put me in this position. I bring it every day to practice and games. Big wins or tough losses, I learn and move on.”
Under Sam Presti, the Thunder have been very precise in their player evaluations, and it’s evident they envision a role for Stirtz both as a lead guard and off the ball. His long-range shooting, driving and smart understanding of team play, including ball-screen execution and spacing, will all fit well on a veteran team with aspirations to return to the NBA Finals. Stirtz’s defensive intensity has shown up in summer league and he’s a serious two-way guard who will be an extension of a coach on the floor as he becomes more comfortable at the pro level.
Pick: No. 19
College: Santa Clara
High school rank: NR
Graves is a classic case of falling through the cracks, especially in the transfer portal era. Even after winning two straight Louisiana state titles, the state’s Mr. Basketball Award and 2023-24 Gatorade Player of the Year honors, Graves wasn’t graded coming out of high school.
He landed at Santa Clara, where he had a connection to senior Carlos Stewart Jr., another Louisiana native who had also won both Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year in the state.
“Associate head coach Ryan Madry did a great job in evaluating him. He did not jump off the page in high school as an athlete,” reported Scott Garson, a former Santa Clara assistant who is now the associate head coach at UNLV.
College basketball impact
Graves redshirted his first season, then won WCC Freshman of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year honors this past campaign. He turned the heads of NBA scouts in an overtime loss to Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA tournament, with 17 points and seven rebounds. This, despite starting just four games.
“Graves was as impossible as any matchup we’ve had to prepare for in my six years here in this league,” Loyola Marymount head coach Stan Johnson reported. “That includes all of Gonzaga’s future pros during that time period.”
Why he fits with the Raptors
Graves’ game is a perfect fit for the Raptors’ up-tempo style of play that rewards heavy 3-point shooting, spacing and gritty, high-IQ defense. His versatility stood out in his summer league debut, where he had 22 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and two blocks on an efficient 9-of-16 shooting. He has a golden opportunity to develop further, practicing against the likes of Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Collin Murray-Boyles and, potentially, Kawhi Leonard.
✔ today silver rate
✔ 2026 winter olympics
✔ chat gtp
✔ silver rate today
✔ silver rate today live
✔ 2030 winter olympics
Sports
