NBA Draft

Trio of Undrafted Rookies Earn Two-Way Contracts Before Deadline

Three players who weren’t selected in the 2025 NBA Draft have earned two-way contracts after performing well in the G League.
Randall Sweet|
Sep 29, 2025; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard Keshon Gilbert (55) poses for a portrait during Wizards Media Day at CareFirst Arena.
Sep 29, 2025; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard Keshon Gilbert (55) poses for a portrait during Wizards Media Day at CareFirst Arena. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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Oklahoma City ThunderAtlanta HawksPortland Trail Blazers

The NBA two-way contract deadline has passed, meaning teams can no longer add players to their rosters on two-way deals.

Ahead of the deadline, though, a few teams filled two-way spots on their roster with first-year players who were previously in the G League. Keshon Gilbert, Payton Sandfort and Chris Youngblood are all eligible to play in NBA games through the end of the regular season and can help their new teams finish out the campaign.

While it is unlikely that any of these players make a major impact for their teams, each of the aforementioned rookies could get time on the floor as depth pieces to help their teams head into the postseason fully healthy.

For Gilbert, Sandfort and Youngblood, the two-way deal is an opportunity to showcase their skill set against higher competition and potentially earn a long-term spot with an organization.

Gilbert inked a two-way contract with the Atlanta Hawks after a solid start to his career with the Capital City Go-Go, the Washington Wizards' G League affiliate.

In 23 G League games this season, Gilbert is averaging 16.1 points, 6.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals while shooting 49.8% from the field and 17.4% from 3-point range. Gilbert has also appeared in three NBA contests, including a three-block outing against the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 7.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, the Hawks' newest signee went undrafted in 2025 after a four-year college career that finished with two seasons at Iowa State.

Sandfort, another undrafted rookie, signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder after the team waived former two-way player Buddy Boeheim.

Listed at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, Sandfort is averaging 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 37.5% from the field and 33.1% from the field.

Following a four-year career at Iowa, Sandfort signed with the defending champions and now has a chance to see brief time on the floor during his debut season.

Youngblood started his professional career on a two-way deal with the Thunder, but was moved to the G League as Oklahoma City looked to explore more of its roster. As a result, the Portland Trail Blazers inked the undrafted rookie to a two-way contract.

With OKC, Youngblood appeared in 32 games and played 174 minutes, scoring 65 points at the NBA level.

In the G League, the 6-foot-4 guard is averaging 23.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 46.9% from the field and 32.7% from 3-point range on nearly 10 attempts per game.

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Randall Sweet
RANDALL SWEET

Randall Sweet is a 2022 Oklahoma University graduate who has formerly written for the Norman Transcript and OU Daily. Randall also serves as the Communications Coordinator at Visit OKC.

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