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The Big Ten is full of sexy, high-ceiling, NBA-level talent. Aaron Craft doesn't necessarily fit that bill, but his tenure at Ohio State proves that he's got some tools that NBA coaches would love. (Hey, read about our take on his NBA abilities here!) He's an unselfish, team-oriented leader that solely focuses on winning. Throw any sports cliché at him, and he'll match it. It seems unlikely that he'll be one of the 60 draft picks on Thursday, but he'll absolutely sign with a team as an undrafted free agent. Let's speculate where he could prosper.
1. San Antonio Spurs
This is kind of a copout because literally every prospect in the history of basketball would be a perfect fit for Gregg Popovich and the Spurs. But the Spurs have an uncanny ability to make players fit their system. That system is predicated on ball movement and unselfish play. Aaron Craft could easily slide right into that system to provide some tough defense and give Tony Parker a rest. The Spurs look for guys that won't rock the boat and upset their excellent team chemistry. Craft's basketball IQ and team-oriented attitude would be ideal for a team like San Antonio. They also have the 58th and 60th picks in the draft, so they are in perfect position to draft him late in the second round.
2. Washington Wizards
The Wizards have John Wall as their starting point guard, and by no means would Aaron Craft threaten his spot. But Craft could learn a thing or two from backup guard Andre Miller. Miller is one of the most amazing players to watch in the entire league. He's not especially athletic, but understands angles and spacing so well that he becomes a legit offensive threat when he's got the ball. It's not a perfect comparison, but Craft could try to model his offensive game like Andre Miller. This pairing would help Craft more than it would help the Wizards, but they will surely consider him.
3. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers excel when playing methodically and defensively. Craft could provide a steady hand as a backup point guard to George Hill, especially since the point guard position is one of Indiana's weakest links. Their style of play would cover up any of his athletic deficiencies, as he wouldn't be exposed on fast breaks. And as we've seen by Ben Hansborough's triumphant season with the Pacers, they're down with scrappy white point guards. Could Larry Bird pull the trigger at 57?
4. Oklahoma City Thunder
Now that Derek Fisher is the new coach of the Knicks, the Thunder don't have much backcourt depth outside of Russell Westbrook and Reggie Jackson. Although Fisher was far from perfect, Craft could play a similar role on OKC and provide a change of pace from the reckless abandon of Westbrook. Craft seems like the type of guy Scott Brooks would give tons of minutes, causing all of NBA twitter to (reasonably) last out at Brooks. It isn't a spot-on fit, but the Thunder need a point guard at some point from this draft.
5. Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies' motto of "Grit and Grind" would jive perfectly with Aaron Craft's notoriously stingy perimeter defense. Can you imagine Craft and Tony Allen harassing opposing backcourts? That would be a sight to behold. Sadly, Nick Calathes probably took Craft's spot as the crafty, white, ex-college star to be Mike Conley's backup, but just imagine the Buckeye chemistry? Craft, Conley, and Kosta Koufous? That in itself is worth signing Craft as an undrafted free agent.