New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Brandon Boston Jr. underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle last week, as announced by the team. His recovery timetable is approximately 3-4 months. With many Pelicans struggling to remain healthy, Boston Jr. earned an expanded role this season and demonstrated good upside. He averaged 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals in 23.6 minutes. However, the 23-year-old made only one appearance after February, as the ankle injury derailed his second half of the season. He should be fully healed for the start of the 2025-26 campaign and may continue to have a regular role in the rotation after the Pelicans converted his two-way deal into a standard two-year contract in the middle of the season.

New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Brandon Boston Jr. (ankle) will remain on the shelf for Thursday's tilt against the Houston Rockets. He is struggling to shake off a left ankle sprain, missing an 11th consecutive contest. Boston Jr.'s next opportunity to return will come on Saturday in a rematch with the Rockets. In Thursday's matchup, Jordan Hawkins and Bruce Brown will continue to lead New Orleans' second unit. Hawkins is looking like a solid fantasy pickup at present, as he has averaged 12.3 points and 3.9 rebounds since the All-Star break.

New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Brandon Boston Jr. (ankle) has picked up a questionable tag ahead of Tuesday's matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. The 23-year-old may be ready to return to action after sitting out nine games with a left ankle sprain. With Dejounte Murray (Achilles) and Herbert Jones (shoulder) done for the season, Boston Jr. would be a valuable addition to the rotation. The Kentucky product has averaged 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals in 23.6 minutes this season.

New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Brandon Boston Jr. (ankle) will sit out an eighth consecutive game on Friday against the Phoenix Suns. He is struggling to overcome a left ankle sprain. Boston Jr. has looked promising with the Pelicans this season, and the team appears to have big plans for him. On Wednesday, the Pelicans converted Boston Jr.'s two-way contract into a standard two-year deal. He has averaged 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals during his fourth year in the league. With Boston Jr. unavailable, Jordan Hawkins and Bruce Brown have more playing opportunities.

New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Brandon Boston Jr. (ankle, illness) will miss a fourth consecutive game on Friday versus the Dallas Mavericks. The 23-year-old Kentucky product has been nursing an ankle injury and is currently also battling an illness. Boston Jr. has shown glimpses of quality in 2024-25, averaging 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals in 23.6 minutes. Jordan Hawkins and Bruce Brown get more burn with Boston Jr. out. Hawkins notched 16 points, four assists, and two blocks off the bench in the last game against the Sacramento Kings. Brown has been quiet through his first couple of outings with his new team, averaging 4.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 21.5 minutes.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Brandon Boston Jr. (ankle) will miss a third straight game on Thursday when the Pelicans finish a back-to-back set of games at home against the Kings. Boston averaged 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals in 23.4 minutes per game in his 42 games, but he won't have a chance to return to the rotation now until after the All-Star break. CJ McCollum and Jose Alvarado will continue to carry the load in the backcourt, while newcomer Bruce Brown will stay involved off the bench after playing 26 minutes in his Pelicans debut on Wednesday.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Brandon Boston Jr. (illness) has been ruled out ahead of Tuesday's game against the Sacramento Kings. Boston was a late addition to the injury report due to a non-COVID related illness. The Clippers have decided to hold him out, but it doesn't sound like a long term issue. Regardless, Boston hasn't been part of the rotation when healthy. He probably won't see regular playing time in Los Angeles, so fantasy managers can continue to ignore him.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Brandon Boston Jr. (quad) is headed to the G-League for a rehab stint. Boston was cleared for 5-on-5 work earlier this week. That being said, it appears he's ready for his first game action of the year. Boston has been unable to play this season due to tendinitis in his left quadriceps. He's averaging 6.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assists across 13.8 minutes per game during his first two seasons with the Clippers. That being said, Boston is unlikely to be a significant contributor once he's healthy. He might be able to crack the rotation, but probably won't be worth a look in any fantasy formats.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Brandon Boston Jr. (quad) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the San Antonio Spurs. The young guard continues to miss time due to a quad injury. The organization has not given a clear timetable on his return, so fantasy managers shouldn't consider him close to playing. Boston is unlikely to have a significant role in the rotation right now anyway. The Clippers have Terance Mann (ankle), Russell Westbrook, and Bones Hyland, so there isn't many minutes left for Boston right now. Fantasy managers can continue to ignore him going forward.

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it?Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, the opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA. 

Introduction

I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2023 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2023-24 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.As I will frequently emphasize and reiterate: in 2023, there is very little difference between the vast majority of second-round draft picks and undrafted free agents--it always all comes down to the skillsets they possess, their capacity for growth, and the situations they've landed in.Seasons will be made and broken with early identification of the diamond-in-the-rough rookies. I used to list out the many examples from the past season in this introduction portion, but we are now in a beautiful era where there are just too many to count. There is also very little separating the featured players below and those dubbed "Honorable Mentions"--so put in the work and keep an eye out throughout the regular season for who is receiving and seizing their opportunities. 

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Los Angeles Clippers guard Brandon Boston Jr. (knee) was able to participate in some drills during Thursday's practice. It was originally reported that Boston won't practice, but head coach Ty Lue said that Boston will take part in some drills. This is good news as Boston continues to work his way back from a knee injury. At the moment, it's unclear if he'll be ready for Tuesday's preseason contest against the Denver Nuggets. The expectation is that Boston will once again be a depth option for the Clippers. He averaged 6.5 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 11.3 minutes over 22 games with the Clippers last season.

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it? Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA.Plus, I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games, or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2022 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2022-23 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence. ... [More]

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it? Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace that fits best with their path to the NBA.Plus, I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games, or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2022 second-round picks and undrafted free agent (UDFA) signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2022-23 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.... [More]

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it? Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA.Plus, I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games, or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2022 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2022-23 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence. ... [More]

LA Clippers shooting guard Brandon Boston Jr. tied for the team lead with 15 points during Tuesday's Summer League defeat to the Lakers. While the 20-year-old wing showcased his athleticism and offensive aggressiveness, he shot just 3-for-12 overall, having his performance boosted by a 9-for-12 effort from the free-throw stripe, along with the nine rebounds he compiled over 29 minutes. Boston remains an intriguing piece for LA after he was acquired as a second-round Draft selection in 2021; the 6-foot-7 wing was the fourth-highest ranked recruit in the country as recently as '20. After appearing in 51 games off the bench last season for the Clippers -- averaging 6.7 PPG -- Boston's role to open '22-23 is even murkier.

LA Clippers shooting guard/small forward Brandon Boston Jr. has been placed in the league's health and safety protocols, ruling him out indefinitely, beginning with Wednesday's contest against the Celtics. Boston has enjoyed a sizable minutes increase during December, using that time on the floor to average 8.8 points per contest. With Paul George (elbow) sidelined, Boston held short-term season-long appeal in deeper formats, but his absence will allow head coach Ty Lue to spread those minutes out across multiple wing options, including Luke Kennard, Terance Mann, and Xavier Moon.