The 2025 NBA Draft brought its fair share of surprises, but perhaps none more surprising than Gonzaga senior Ryan Nembhard going undrafted. Known for his elite playmaking, high basketball IQ, and steady leadership, Nembhard was widely projected as a second-round pick.
Instead, 59 names were called and his wasn’t one of them. For a player who led the entire NCAA in assists last season, the snub sparked questions about how modern NBA front offices value undersized guards, regardless of their college production.
Why Teams Passed on Ryan Nembhard in the NBA Draft?
There’s no question Nembhard is a gifted floor general. But in the end, his physical tools may have worked against him. Measuring just 5’11” barefoot with a slim frame and one of the shortest standing reaches in the draft class, Nembhard entered the league at a physical disadvantage.
As Yahoo Sports explained:
“He’s listed at only 6 feet. Not many players at this size make it, especially when they have a slight build like he does. Teams will pick on him when he’s on defense, and scoring at the rim will be a challenge for him on offense.”
HoopsHype echoed similar concerns, highlighting his “limited burst,” “scoring passivity,” and trouble generating offense against length and pressure. One example stood out late in the season — his struggles against Houston, where size and traps kept him in check and raised red flags for scouts.
Kevin Boyle, his former high school coach at Montverde, was expecting him to be picked in the second round. He said on The Ryen Russillo Podcast as per Sports Illustarted:
“We also have Ryan Nembhard… who’ll be a second-round pick, I think.”
But the second round came and went. Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor had Nembhard projected to the Sacramento Kings at No. 42. They picked Stanford big man Maxime Raynaud instead. Another potential suitor, the New York Knicks, opted for Nevada guard Kobe Sanders at No. 50.
In the end, the combination of size concerns, lack of high-level scoring upside, and defensive limitations proved too much to overlook, especially in a league where physical tools often outweigh skill in the second round.
Nembhard’s College Production Still Turned Heads
Despite going undrafted, Nembhard had one of the most efficient and impactful seasons of any guard in college basketball. As Gonzaga’s lead ball-handler, he averaged 9.8 assists to just 2.5 turnovers per game — an elite mark by any standard.
Ryan Nembhard led the country in assists per game this past season at Gonzaga…
10.5 PPG
9.8 APG
3.0 RPG
1.7 SPG
40.4% 3PTGreat signing by the Mavs. pic.twitter.com/YdO5qood5b
— MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) June 27, 2025
His 344 total assists not only led Division I but also ranked fifth all-time for a single NCAA season. Nembhard thrived in pick-and-roll sets, reading defenses with poise, hitting shooters in rhythm, and feeding bigs in tight spots. His feel for the game and pace control were textbook traits of a traditional point guard.
Though he shot a career-best 40.4% from three as a senior, teams remained cautious. Over four college seasons, Nembhard attempted relatively few threes and made just 34.7% overall. His 78.4% free-throw mark suggested some shooting touch, but questions lingered about whether that senior-season surge was real or an outlier.
