2025 NBA Draft snubs: Mark Sears, Caleb Love, RJ Luis Jr. among notable players not selected

The dreams of 59 basketball prospects from the college ranks and around the globe were realized during the 2025 NBA Draft. The two-day event at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn started with the Dallas Mavericks selecting Cooper Flagg at No. 1. It ended with the Memphis Grizzlies selecting Tennessee’s Jahmai Mashack at pick No. 59.

One of the most notable names not selected was Alabama All-American guard Mark Sears, who emerged as one of the best players in the country after transferring from Ohio in 2022. Another name not picked was St. John’s star wing RJ Luis Jr., the Big East Player of the Year. Luis, who was infamously benched by coach Rick Pitino during the NCAA Tournament, entered the transfer portal and ultimately elected to stay in the draft.

The highest-ranked player on our CBS Sports Big Board who went undrafted was Izan Almansa out of Spain. He was No. 40 in our rankings.

Another player who didn’t hear his name called was Kentucky star Jaxson Robinson, who followed coach Mark Pope from BYU to UK for his final college season. For the first time since 2009, a player from Kentucky wasn’t selected in the first round. The Wildcats did, however, have two players go in Round 2 as Koby Brea went 41st to the Phoenix Suns and Amari Williams went 46th to the Boston Celtics. 

Arizona star Caleb Love, the No. 78 ranked player on our draft board, also wasn’t selected. Love, a high-scoring guard, started his college career at North Carolina before transferring to Arizona in 2023, where he helped the Wildcats reach the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament twice.

A handful of this year’s snubs have reportedly already signed two-way contracts with NBA franchises shortly after the draft ended. And many of the other undrafted players will get a chance to shine in the NBA’s Summer League. 

Here is a rundown of the top prospects who were left on the board at the end of Thursday’s second round.

Notable Big Board undrafted players

RANK	PLAYER	POS.	SCHOOL/TEAM
45	Izan Almansa	PF	Spain
47	Dink Pate	SG	G League Capitanes
48	Ryan Nembhard	PG	Gonzaga
51	Grant Nelson	PF	Alabama
52	Hunter Sallis	SG	Wake Forest
53	Eric Dixon	PF	Villanova
55	Dylan Cardwell	C	Auburn
56	Mark Sears	PG	Alabama
58	Vladislav Goldin	C	Michigan
61	Jaxson Robinson	SG	Kentucky
62	RJ Luis Jr.	SF	St. John’s
64	Tamar Bates	SG	Missouri
65	Caleb Grill	SG	Missouri
66	Clifford Omoruyi	C	Alabama
68	Payton Sandfort	SF	Iowa
69	Sean Pedulla	SG	Ole Miss
71	Brice Williams	SG	Nebraska
72	David Joplin	PF	Marquette
73	Chance McMillian	SG	Texas Tech
74	Lamont Butler	PG	Kentucky
75	Viktor Lakhin	C	Clemson
76	Jalon Moore	SF	Oklahoma
77	Chucky Hepburn	PG	Louisville
78	Caleb Love	SG	Arizona
79	Igor Milicic Jr.	PF	Tennessee

Undrafted free agent tracker