5 Best active NBA players who transitioned from the G-League
The majority of the NBA's best talent enter the league as high picks via the draft, although a number of players have been able to make it to the league following spells in the G-League.
The G-League was founded back in 2001 as the National Basketball Development League, with eight teams taking part in its inaugural season. In almost two decades since the development league has rebranded as the G-League, there are now 27 NBA affiliated teams involved.
The G-League has received its fair share of criticism (some warranted), although the league has provided a platform for young players to impress as they attempt to make a career in the NBA. Plenty of notable active players have spent time in the G-League, and here we will take a look at the top five active players who transitioned from the NBA's development league.
#5 J. J. Barea
J. J. Barea went undrafted in the 2006 NBA draft, although he quickly joined the Dallas Mavericks and was assigned to the Rocky Mountain Revue. Barea wasn't guaranteed a spot on the Mavericks roster for the 2006-07 season, although after averaging 12.0 points and 6.7 assists over three appearances, the point guard was signed to a multi-year deal with the Mavs.
After struggling to make an impact in his first 12 appearances with the Mavs, Barea was sent down to development in January 2007. However, he would spend less than a month with the Fort Worth Flyers as he was quickly recalled after posting 27.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 7.8 assists, in eight games. Upon his return to the NBA, Barea's minutes and production soon increased, and he played a key role from the bench as the Mavs won the 2011 title.