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June 26, 2015

The Cleveland Cavaliers were down to their last legs in the NBA Finals. Kevin Love, hurt. Kyrie Irving, hurt. Who could possibly fill in?

Enter Matthew Dellevadova, the Australian point guard from St Mary’s College. Delly couldn't totally fill the void left by Irving at the point, but his all-out hustling and effort were a hit in the Playoffs, and he was able to help the Cavs get to and then grind out two wins in the NBA Finals.

Delly went undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft, and here at POINT 3, we always support the Underdog player like him. So who are some ‘Next Delly’ candidates from this Draft, ie. players that went undrafted but could be sparkplugs for an NBA team.

THE UNDRAFTED PLAYERS MOST LIKELY TO BE THE NEXT DELLAVEDOVA

Candidate: TJ McConnell

Size: 6’1”

College: Arizona

In pure grit, McConnell comes the closest to Delly. He plays with all-out passion and was the heartbeat for the Wildcats. He digs in defensively like few players did in college last season. He doesn’t quite have the jumper or offensive instincts of Delly, but he plays with the same kind of fire.

Candidate: Kevin Pangos

Size: 6’2”

College: Gonzaga

The ultimate college player, Pangos hails from the same conference as Delly, the WCC. Pangos had some tough battles against St Mary’s back when Delly roamed the WCC. Pangos can really shoot the ball, he has deep range and can get hot at anytime. He has the same leadership spirit that Delly brings to the court, but he’s just not quite as much of a competitor. But there is an added bonus: they rock similar hairstyles.

Candidate: Travis Trice

Size: 6’0”

College: Michigan State

One of the stars of this year’s NCAA Tournament, Trice never shied away from a big shot or a big moment leading the Spartans back to the Final Four. He has the confidence of a veteran playmaker. He’s still pretty skinny and needs to hit an NBA weight room, but as far as having the mentality to play in big games and hit clutch shots, Trice is there.

Candidate: Briante Weber

Size: 6’2”

College: VCU

Sadly Weber tore his ACL and MCL late in his senior season, but before that he was a possible draft prospect. Weber finished 11 steals shy of having the NCAA’s all-time record, one he surely would have passed if he stayed healthy. He’s a ball-hawking defender, constantly applying pressure to the other team’s top guard. He would chase Steph Curry around all night if he had to, just like Delly. And even when he was injured, Weber would still dress in his jersey and sit right next to the coaches barking out encouragement all game long. No one has more passion for his own team than Weber.