There are several avenues for NBA hopefuls to make it to the league. One of the better-known ones is the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, which is open only to recent college seniors. This is the oldest amateur tournament in the country, so it carries some weight.
The tournament doesn’t generate NBA draft picks every year, but Tyrese Martin ended a four-year drought when he became a second-round selection in 2022. [autotag]Pat Connaughton[/autotag] was drafted after taking part in the 2015 tournament. Other notable tournament alumni include Jimmy Butler, Tim Hardaway, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, John Stockton, Dave Cowens, Earl Monroe and Rick Barry.
This year, eight recent ACC seniors have the opportunity to compete in the tournament. While there aren’t any guarantees for what happens afterwards, it’s a great way to get noticed by scouts. Here are the players who represented the ACC during the past season and will get a good look by folks who know the professional game well: