NBA: 30 best careers from players who skipped college

30 best careers from players who skipped college – 25. Gerald Green

Kobe Bryant and his agent Arn Tellem manipulated the league leading into the 1996 NBA Draft, only allowing certain teams to work out the high school prospect. Their plan worked, Bryant dropped to the 13th pick, and he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers to begin an incredible career.

Gerald Green, another high school prospect in 2005, also limited the access teams had to him. Viewing himself as an elite prospect, he only worked out for the teams with the first six picks in the draft. His circle had told him to act the part of a top pick, and refuse to work out against lesser prospects. That backfired when none of the top six teams chose him; other teams with no firsthand knowledge passed, and he fell all the way to the Boston Celtics at 18th.

Green’s career continued to tumble, two steps back for every two steps forward. He started to gain a role on the Celtics before they traded him, and he began to bounce around the basketball world. By age 23, he was on his fourth team and went overseas to play in Russia and China. Then he was back, playing in the NBA D-League. His journey continued, from New Jersey to Indiana to Phoenix.

Finally, with the Suns, he caught his stride and established himself as a useful NBA reserve. He has never lost his elite dunking ability, but now he has honed his outside shot, hitting 3-pointers at a 36.1 percent clip. He is no star, but he did make life-changing money as an NBA player.