50 Greatest NBA/ABA Players Not In the Hall Of Fame

Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger/ALLSPORT.

The Houston Rockets made Florida State point guard Sam Cassell the 24th overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft and he became a key reserve for their two championship teams before developing into a starter and then a star.

Cassell was dealt three times in 1996 and 1997, first to the Phoenix Suns, then to the Dallas Mavericks and finally to the New Jersey Nets, where he became a full-time starter for the first time.

Injured during the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, Cassell was traded in March to the Milwaukee Bucks and it was there that we saw Cassell blossom into a star.

Cassell helped Milwaukee to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2001 and was their offensive catalyst for four full seasons before he was dealt again, this time to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the summer of 2003.

Cassell helped the Timberwolves win their first (and only) two playoff series in franchise history as Minnesota reached the Western Conference Finals.

He was also an All-NBA selection in 2003-04.

Cassell was on the move again in 2005, this time to the Los Angeles Clippers, where he played parts of three seasons before he was waived.

Picked up as a free agent by the Boston Celtics in March 2008, Cassell ended his career as he began it — as a key reserve for a championship team, earning a third ring before retiring.

In 15 seasons, Cassell averaged 15.7 points, six assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 30 minutes per game, shooting .454/.331/.861.

Cassell is 38th all-time with 5,939 career assists and 40th with his 86.1 free-throw percentage.