Aaron Craft goes undrafted as OSU streak ends

6/27/2014
BLADE STAFF
Former Ohio State guard Aaron Craft was not selected in the NBA draft on a streak-busting night for the Buckeyes on Thursday.
Former Ohio State guard Aaron Craft was not selected in the NBA draft on a streak-busting night for the Buckeyes on Thursday.

COLUMBUS — Former Ohio State basketball star and Liberty-Benton graduate Aaron Craft was not selected in the NBA draft on a streak-busting night for the Buckeyes on Thursday.

OSU did not have a player drafted for the first time since 2006.

Craft, the Buckeyes' all-time steals leader and the reigning Big Ten defensive player of the year, will now either sign with an NBA team as a free agent or pursue a professional career elsewhere, possibly in Europe. He still plans to play in the NBA summer league.

Craft averaged 9.8 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.5 steals per game as a senior last year.

Former Buckeyes forward LaQuinton Ross also was not among the 60 players selected despite declaring for the draft after his junior season.

As a whole, the Big Ten enjoyed a banner night, with five first-round picks marking the league's best draft output since 1990. Michigan's Nik Stauskas went eighth overall to Sacramento, Indiana's Noah Vonleh went ninth to Charlotte, Michigan State's Adreian Payne went 15th to Atlanta, MSU's Gary Harris went 19th to Denver via a trade, and UM's Mitch McGary went 21st to Oklahoma City.