6. Raja Bell
Bell went undrafted in 1999 after five years in college. The 6’5 wing played his final two seasons at Florida International but did not do enough to crack the top 60.
He played his first pro season in the CBA before signing with the Spurs in August of 2000. San Antonio was Bell’s first NBA team, but he did not make the regular season roster. He landed a ten-day deal with the 76ers in April of 2001 that jumpstarted his NBA career.
Bell played 12 seasons in the league, including three and a half as a key piece on the Seven Seconds or Less Suns with Steve Nash, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Shawn Marion. Bell battled the Spurs back-to-back years in the playoffs, but San Antonio got the better of Phoenix in 2007 and 2008.
He was a 3-and-D wing before they were popular. Bell made two All-Defensive teams, including earning first-team honors in 2007. He never backed down from a challenge and was willing to guard the best scorer every night.
The San Antonio Spurs could have kept Raja Bell off the Suns and Mavericks if they would have kept him in 2000. The 6’5 wing was not quite ready for the NBA, and the Spurs wanted to win. It cost them a quality role player, but the Spurs' four championship banners eliminate any regrets.