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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Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (toe) is set to be a full-go for the preseason at the end of September. The 25-year-old underwent surgery on his big toe in May, but is expected to be fully healthy for next season. That is great news considering Ja Morant is suspended for the first 25 games of the season. That being said, Bane is likely to be the focal point of the offense with Morant gone. The Grizzlies signed Bane to a $207 million extension over the offseason. There are high expectations for Bane, but he should be a productive player especially with Morant sidelined.

Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward Desmond Bane has agreed to a five-year, $207 million contract extension, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. This is the largest contract ever the Grizzlies have handed out, passing Ja Morant's last year's extension by $14 million. Bane and Morant have formed one of the most dynamic backcourts in the NBA, and the former has taken big strides in his game over the last couple of years. Bane averaged a career-high 21.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists last season. He looks set for an explosive start to 2023-24 with Morant suspended for the first 25 games.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane underwent a successful procedure on his right big toe to fix a fracture medial sesamoid bone. Apparently, he originally suffered this injury back on November 11 and proceeded to miss the next 17 games because of it. The team anticipates that he'll be ready ahead of the next season and they will give updates as necessary. This seems to like a normal procedure in this case, so getting it out of the way early and allowing time for rehab is probably the best course of action for Bane.

Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward Desmond Bane put up an impressive 36 points Monday against the Lakers but it came in a defeat, leaving the team facing an early playoff exit. Bane did the damage with 13-for-29 shooting, hitting 3-for-12 from downtown. It wasn't an efficient performance, but Bane's offense helped the team to push the game into overtime. He completed his line with seven rebounds, three assists and one steal. Bane is averaging 23.3 points in the series, but he's been shooting below 30 percent from downtown and only 40.5 percent from the field, and that clearly needs to change in Wednesday's Game 5 if the Grizzlies want to survive to see another day.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (foot) has been listed as doubtful for Wednesday's contest against the Los Angeles Clippers. The 24-year-old just put up a big game with 31 points against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, but he either aggravated a foot issue or could just be getting the night off. Since he's not expected to play and Tyus Jones (foot) is also considered doubtful, then Luke Kennard would likely move into the starting lineup while David Roddy could see some extra time off of the bench.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane had himself a night as he led all scorers during their 113-108 win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday. The third-year guard ended the game with 31 points, four rebounds, five assists, and three steals on 8-for-19 shooting overall, 3-for-8 from deep, and 12-for-14 from the line. There's nothing like getting a big fantasy game that includes a lot of points, threes, and steals, especially from a guy that was drafted around the fifth round. Since Ja Morant is expected back, Bane may not have the same type of night on the second game of their back-to-back.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane has been ejected from Wednesday's game against the Miami Heat. He was given a Flagrant 2 foul after hitting Kevin Love in the groin while driving to the basket. Before the ejection, Bane had 11 points, four rebounds, and three assists in 22 minutes of action. The expectation is that David Roddy will pick up additional playing time in this game with Bane done for the night.

Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward Desmond Bane produced a good all-around performance against the Celtics on Sunday, completing a 119-109 loss with 18 points, six rebounds, seven assists, one steal and two blocks. He was 3-for-7 with the three-ball and shot 7-for-14 overall from the field. Bane has now shot 50 percent or better in five consecutive outings, averaging 21.2 points during the run with 4.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.0 steals. He has formed a deadly duo with Ja Morant, and the 2022-23 campaign is by far the best of Bane's young career.

Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward Desmond Bane had one of his best games of the season Sunday with a 26-point effort in a 106-103 loss to Toronto. Bane had the leading role on offense with Ja Morant (wrist) absent and he didn't disappoint, netting four triples with seven attempts and finishing 10-for-17 overall from the field with two rebounds, four assists, four steals and one block. The 24-year-old has been a good sidekick for Morant all year, but he gets a good usage bump with him out of the lineup and Bane has upped his scoring output to 23.6 points in the games Morant has missed this season. The duo will likely be reunited for Tuesday's clash with Chicago, as Morant missed Sunday's contest only because of right wrist soreness.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (knee) is available to play against the Portland Trail Blazers. Bane will make his return after a two-game absence with knee soreness and should resume his normal starting role. Ziaire Williams will likely move back to bench and lose the very little fantasy value he offered. Bane and the Grizzlies are entering the first game of a back-to-back so fantasy managers will want to check his status for Thursday's game.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (knee) is listed as questionable to play Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers. Bane has already missed two games with knee soreness and the Grizzlies are entering a back-to-back set starting Wednesday, putting Bane in danger of missing at least another game. Ziaire Williams has been starting with Bane out, but has not offered much in terms of fantasy value. If Bane sits, Tyus Jones would likely be the main benefactor off the bench while the normal starters get a boost in usage.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (knee) is doubtful ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Indiana Pacers. The 24-year-old is currently dealing with right knee soreness, an injury that forced him to miss Friday's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Ziaire Williams took his spot in the starting lineup in that one and finished with seven points and two steals in 26 minutes. Williams should continue to roll with the first five if Bane is ruled out. However, he's a risky option for fantasy managers, mainly since Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Dillon Brooks are expected to remain the primary offensive contributors.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (knee) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 24-year-old will sit this game out due to right knee soreness. John Konchar (concussion) will join him on the sideline, which leaves the Grizzlies shorthanded. Ziaire Williams could move into the starting five with Bane and Konchar sidelined. He could be worth a look as deep league streaming option for Friday's slate.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (knee) has been tagged as questionable due to right knee soreness on Friday. The 24-year-old hasn't missed a game since the beginning of January and this knee soreness doesn't seem like anything out of the ordinary. If he ends up staying on the sidelines, Dillon Brooks would see some more usage while Tyus Jones and David Roddy should see more opportunities off of the bench and maybe even a spot start.

Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward Desmond Bane had a hot start in Sunday's game against Utah and finished a 123-118 win with a game-high 24 points and a career-high nine assists. 13 of his points and six assists came in the first half. The Grizzlies backcourt was without Ja Morant (thigh), and it was almost like Bane and Tyus Jones decided to take turns in running the show, with Bane handing over the baton to Jones for the second half. Jones started in Morant's place and racked up 21 points, six assists and four steals, scoring 12 of his points in the second half. Bane had four triples with seven attempts and shot 8-for-18 from the field overall. He didn't shy away from defensive duties either, collecting two steals and one block in 31 minutes. Memphis completes a back-to-back Monday against San Antonio and it's currently unclear if Morant will be ready for the game. Bane's status is also up in the air because he hasn't played both games of back-to-back since returning from a toe injury.

Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward Desmond Bane (toe) won't play Thursday against the Magic. He has only just returned from injury and the Grizzlies complete a back-to-back, so the team has decided to give Bane a night off. The 24-year-old had a nice 19-point showing with a career-high 11 rebounds and four assists Wednesday versus Charlotte. Bane has averaged 15.5 points in 26.3 minutes in six games since returning from a sprained right big toe. His absence will open up the door for Tyus Jones and John Konchar to log more minutes than usual.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (rest) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Sacramento Kings. He is still recovering from a toe injury that sidelined him for more than a month. That being said, the Grizzlies will rest Bane in the second leg of this back-to-back set. John Konchar should move into the starting five and is a possible deep league streaming choice for Sunday's slate.

Memphis Grizzlies shooting guard Desmond Bane (toe) has been upgraded to questionable for Friday's contest vs. the Suns, as he works his way back from a sprained right big toe. Bane, who hasn't suited up since Nov. 11, took part in shootaround Friday, despite previously being expected to miss even more time due to the ailment. The 24-year-old has taken enormous strides forward offensively in his third NBA campaign, averaging 24.7 PPG across his first 12 contests. His 3.8 made triples per outing have him tied for sixth in the league, as he has shot an exemplary 45.1 percent from long range. While season-long managers can shift Bane to the active roster as soon as he is cleared, DFS managers are likely better off waiting for his minutes load to stabilize before adding him to lineups.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (toe) could miss an additional three to four weeks. He hasn't played in over a month while dealing with a right big toe injury, which has been a tough blow for the team. Before going down, Bane was averaging a career-high 24.7 points and shooting an impressive 45.1% from behind the arc. Until he returns, John Kochar should continue to benefit, with the 26-year-old logging 9.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game in 17 starts throughout the 2022-23 campaign.