Charlotte Hornets guard Frank Ntilikina (hip) is questionable to play on Monday versus the Knicks. The defensive specialist appeared in Charlotte's rotation in back-to-back games last week but had to sit out Saturday's clash against Utah due to discomfort in his left hip. Ntilikina only recently made his season debut and has played 22 total minutes in three games, so the Hornets should do just fine without him on Monday.

Charlotte Hornets guard Frank Ntilikina (leg) was diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture of his left tibia after suffering the injury during Thursday's preseason meeting with the Boston Celtics. He will be re-evaluated in four weeks. The 2017 No. 8 overall pick hasn't had the career many had envisioned, averaging just 4.8 points and 2.2 assists. However, he has at least developed into a force on the defensive end. Nonetheless, Ntilikina still has higher expectations entering the 2023-24 campaign than in previous years, so he's someone to monitor once he's healthy.

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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Charlotte Hornets guard Frank Ntilikina has started work in training camp on a non-guaranteed one-year contract, but he appears to have a very good chance of making the team, as head coach Steve Clifford rated him highly. "He's an elite defender," Clifford said of Ntilikina Tuesday. "He has an elite skill. Frank fits our team well to me. He's played a lot of NBA minutes." Ntilikina has six years of experience in the NBA, having suited up for the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks. He's never really made noise fantasy-wise, but the Frenchman's defensive ability is something that's always going to be valued by teams.

Hornets guard Frank Ntilikina (hamstring) is in Charlotte for the team's training camp this fall, but his level of participation remains to be seen. The 25-year-old missed the World Cup with a hamstring injury, and he still appears to be working his way back from that. Ntilikina latched onto Charlotte on a one-year deal in early August to serve as backcourt depth behind LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier. The former first-round pick will battle with Theo Maledon for the backup point guard job, and enters the 2023-24 season without much to write home about after averaging a scant 2.9 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 47 games with the Dallas Mavericks last year.

Charlotte Hornets guard Frank Ntilikina won't be able to help France at the 2023 World Cup after injuring his thigh in an exhibition game against Lithuania. The injury could also disrupt Ntilikina's preparations for the upcoming NBA season. The former first-round pick agreed to a one-year contract with the Hornets earlier in the month. Ntilikina spent the previous two seasons in Dallas and averaged 2.9 points in 12.9 minutes in 2022-23. After starting out with the New York Knicks, Ntilikina has registered 4.8 points with 1.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists for his career, so he's really not been a fantasy factor in any of his six seasons in the league.

Dallas Mavericks guards Kemba Walker (knee) and Frank Ntilikina (knee) are both available to play Tuesday against the New York Knicks. Walker has been out due to injury management and head coach Jason Kidd said Walker will likely have his minutes managed moving forward. Ntilikina will return from a one-game absence after being upgraded from questionable with his own knee soreness. Both Walker and Ntilikina will back up star Luka Doncic and would need an injury to Doncic to have fantasy value.

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, 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.Plus, 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 2022 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 2022-23 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence. ... [More]

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, 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.Plus, 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 2022 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 2022-23 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence. ... [More]

Dallas Mavericks point guard Frank Ntilikina is expected to remain with the team for the upcoming season, with his contract set to become guaranteed Monday. Ntilikina appeared in 58 games (five starts) last year for Dallas, but played just 11.8 minutes per night while averaging 4.1 PPG. While he shot a career-high 39.9 percent from the floor, the 23-year-old continues to struggle offensively; his usage will be further complicated by the addition to the backcourt of Jaden Hardy, a former McDonald's All-American whom the team acquired on NBA Draft night. With Luka Doncic and Spencer Dinwiddie holding down point guard duties, Ntilikina's path to fantasy relevance remains steep.

Dallas Mavericks guard Frank Ntilikina (illness) is questionable ahead of Monday's playoff meeting against Utah. The 23-year-old hasn't seen any action since the beginning of April after undergoing a tonsillectomy. Yet, with Luka Doncic recently returning from a calf strain, Ntilikina shouldn't get any playing time if he is available, despite the chance he could be featured sporadically for defensive purposes. However, that won't be good enough to make him a viable DFS option.

Dallas Mavericks guard Frank Ntilikina (illness) has been ruled out for Game 4 against the Utah Jazz on Saturday. Ntilikina hasn't suited up since April 8 due to a non-COVID related illness. His absence won't make an impact on the Mavericks rotation. Luckily, Luka Doncic (calf) has been cleared to play. Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie will split up the leftover guard minutes. Fantasy managers can continue to avoid Ntilikina going forward.

Dallas Mavericks guard Frank Ntilikina (illness) is questionable ahead of the Game 4 postseason outing versus Utah. The 23-year-old is recovering from a tonsillectomy and hasn't played in a few weeks. However, even if Ntilikina is available and Luka Doncic (calf) isn't, the 2017 No. 8 overall pick shouldn't be an attractive option for DFS managers.

Dallas Mavericks guard Frank Ntilikina (illness) won't play on Thursday during the Game 3 matchup versus Utah. Ntilikina continues to recover from a tonsillectomy, although he wasn't expected to have much of a role in the lineup anyway, even with Luka Doncic (calf) out with a left calf strain. Nonetheless, there's a chance the 23-year-old could be in uniform for Game 4 on Saturday. However, DFS managers shouldn't bet on it.

Dallas Mavericks guard Frank Ntilikina (illness) is out for Game 2 of the postseason matchup against the Utah Jazz. Ntilikina continues to recover from a tonsillectomy, although he isn't expected to have much of a role in the lineup even if he's healthy. However, that may change if Luka Doncic (calf), who isn't expected to suit up in Game 2, misses more time moving ahead.

Dallas Mavericks guard Frank Ntilikina (illness) isn't available for the opening round matchup versus Utah on Saturday. He doesn't have COVID-19, which is good. However, the 2017 No. 8 overall pick recently underwent a tonsillectomy, so there's a chance he may be sidelined beyond Game 1 as well. With Luka Doncic (calf) also out, Ntilikina could have seen an increased workload, although not enough to see much of a bump from an offensive standpoint. Yet, he'll be missed the most on the defensive end, so Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, and Donovan Mitchell may benefit slightly without him out there.

Dallas Mavericks guard Frank Ntilikina (ankle) will be suiting up for Friday night's game against the Washington Wizards. The 23-year-old missed each of the team's last two games due to a right ankle sprain. He could see his minutes go up a bit on Friday as the team will be without Trey Burke, who is out due to the league's health and safety protocols. Ntilikina doesn't provide much value from a fantasy perspective. Over eight games in March, he logged 10.6 minutes per contest and averaged 4.4 points, 1.9 assists and 0.5 three-pointers per game.

Dallas Mavericks point/shooting guard Frank Ntilikina (illness) has been cleared to suit up for Friday's contest against Houston. Ntilikina has played just eight minutes across the Mavs' past eight outings. It's unclear if the 23-year-old will face any kind of minutes cap in his return, but he could be utilized with elevated frequency due to the absence of Jalen Brunson (thigh) and Dorian Finney-Smith (arm). While Ntilikina enjoyed a five-game stretch among the starting five at the conclusion of 2021, he has not scored in double figures since Christmas Day.

Dallas Mavericks guards Trey Burke (shoulder) and Frank Ntilikina (ankle) have been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Golden State Warriors. Burke is dealing with a left shoulder sprain while Ntilikina has a right ankle sprain. Both players have been phased out of the rotation lately as Spencer Dinwiddie has been the team's primary guard off the bench, backing up Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson. Josh Green has been the only other guard who has seen regular playing time lately.

Dallas Mavericks shooting guard/small forward Reggie Bullock (hip) and point/shooting guard Frank Ntilikina (ankle) have been ruled out for Thursday's game against New Orleans. Bullock has been sensationally hot from long range over his last nine outings, knocking down an average of 4.3 made triples at a 48.1% clip in that span. With Kristaps Porzingis gone and Tim Hardaway Jr. (foot) injured, Bullock figures to continue seeing a significant uptick in offensive usage during the second half when healthy. The loss of Ntilikina is a blow to Dallas' backcourt depth, with a handful of additional minutes set to be funneled toward Spencer Dinwiddie. The duo's next chance to suit up comes next Friday vs. the Jazz.