Home / Sports / Undrafted David Wesley's NBA Journey: A Surprise Success
Undrafted David Wesley's NBA Journey: A Surprise Success
28 Sep
Summary
- David Wesley led the Southwest Conference in scoring but went undrafted.
- He signed a seven-year, $20.16 million deal with the Hornets in 1997.
- Wesley retired in 2007 with 11,842 career points, a high mark for undrafted players.
David Wesley's path to NBA stardom was unconventional. After an impressive senior season at Baylor, where he averaged 20.9 points per game and led the Southwest Conference in scoring during the 1991-92 season, Wesley was notably overlooked in the NBA draft. He eventually made his NBA debut at age 23 with the New Jersey Nets, playing 60 games in his first season.
Following his time with the Nets, Wesley played three seasons with the Boston Celtics. In the summer of 1997, he became a restricted free agent. With Boston having just drafted Chauncey Billups, they allowed Wesley to explore other opportunities, leading him to sign a substantial seven-year deal worth $20.16 million with the Charlotte Hornets.
Wesley spent five seasons with the Hornets before their relocation to New Orleans. During this period, he proved to be a reliable and durable starter, appearing in 362 games and starting 358. He consistently contributed offensively, averaging 14.5 points and 5.3 assists per game as a shooting guard.
After his successful tenure in Charlotte/New Orleans, Wesley continued his career with the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers. He concluded his NBA career with impressive averages of 12.5 points, 4.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. In 2007, David Wesley announced his retirement, leaving behind a legacy of 11,842 career points, one of the highest totals ever achieved by an undrafted player.
