Memphis Grizzlies forward Jake LaRavia (illness), previously listed as a game-time decision due to illness, will be available to play against the Denver Nuggets on Monday. Despite being sick, he is healthy enough to play. In his last five games, he has averaged 11.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 steals. Desmond Bane (back) and Lamar Stevens (adductor), listed as questionable earlier in the day, will also be suiting up.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Jake LaRavia (ankle) will miss a 12th consecutive game on Tuesday against the Knicks. He hurt his left ankle in the same matchup on Jan. 13 and was diagnosed with a Grade 2 high ankle sprain. The 22-year-old was set to be re-evaluated by the team in three weeks, but there haven't been any updates on LaRavia's status. Memphis could really use an extra body right now, as the team rolled with only eight players against Boston on Sunday.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Jake LaRavia (eye) is listed as questionable for Monday's matchup against the Mavericks. He hasn't played since Nov. 1 due to an eye issue, but LaRavia appears close to returning to action after previously having carried a doubtful tag. The 22-year-old didn't feature a lot for the Grizzlies when he was healthy but could currently earn some extra minutes as the team continues to deal with a number of absentees. However, there's no reason to pick him up in fantasy hoops.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Jake LaRavia (eye) underwent a procedure on his left eye and hasn't played since November 1. He seems to be creeping towards getting back on the court though as he was officially listed as doubtful for Friday's contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Getting someone back for this thin frontcourt would be huge and when he does return, that would likely mean fewer minutes for Santi Aldama and Xavier Tillman Sr. For now, though, Aldama still serves as the top streaming option.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Jake LaRavia (eye) is questionable for Saturday's meeting with the Spurs. The 22-year-old has spent time in the G League this season but has appeared in five games for the big club, averaging 3.4 points and 1.6 rebounds while shooting a disastrous 16.7% from deep. While those numbers aren't anything for fantasy managers to get excited about, LaRavia could see more action, considering the Grizzlies' lengthy injury report. Still, it's tough to envision LaRavia doing anything meaningful, assuming he plays, primarily since Memphis could rely more on David Roddy, Ziaire Williams, and John Konchar to pick up most of the slack.

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it?Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, the opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA. 

Introduction

I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2023 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2023-24 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.As I will frequently emphasize and reiterate: in 2023, there is very little difference between the vast majority of second-round draft picks and undrafted free agents--it always all comes down to the skillsets they possess, their capacity for growth, and the situations they've landed in.Seasons will be made and broken with early identification of the diamond-in-the-rough rookies. I used to list out the many examples from the past season in this introduction portion, but we are now in a beautiful era where there are just too many to count. There is also very little separating the featured players below and those dubbed "Honorable Mentions"--so put in the work and keep an eye out throughout the regular season for who is receiving and seizing their opportunities. 

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Memphis Grizzlies forward Jake LaRavia had a big performance in the Summer League against the Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday, leading the squad to a 95-86 victory with a team-high 25 points. Following a miserable 2-for-11 performance from the field in Memphis' Summer League opener Monday against Philadelphia, LaRavia has 16 first-quarter points and nailed three of four shots from downtown. He finished 4-for-9 overall from deep and 9-for-18 overall from the field, while also logging three rebounds and two steals. The 2022 first-round was held back by poor shooting and he didn't earn a lot of playing time during his rookie year, averaging 11.8 minutes per game while suiting up just 35 times. He will be hoping for a larger role in 2023-24, but LaRavia likely won't impact things in fantasy basketball.