The best current NBA player from every Sweet 16 team left in the NCAA Tournament
By Ben Handler
3. Creighton Blue Jays: Doug McDermott
It’s another default choice here as Dougie McBuckets is the only Blue Jay currently playing in the NBA. He was a legend in college, one of the best players in the nation while playing for his dad, then and current Creighton head coach Greg McDermott.
After an incredible college career, Doug was selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, but he never lived up to the hype, bouncing around the league and struggling to find a steady role.
He has been able to hang on for over a decade due mostly to his sharpshooting range, but he’s averaged just 9 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1 assist per game over the course of his career. His best years came with the Pacers, who recently traded to reacquire him in hopes he could replace some of the shooting lost with Buddy Hield shipped to Philadelphia.
But unfortunately, the 33-year-old McDermott is barely playable and has averaged just over 12 minutes and 4 points a night this season with the Pacers. The list of impactful NBA players out of Creighton is pretty short. The only player ever to average over 10 points a game out of the school was journeyman center Benoit Benjamin, and the most notable basketball alum is probably Paul Silas.