The 2021 Big South Player of the Year got his first professional opportunity earlier this month, playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ NBA Summer League team.
After a nearly perfect season at Winthrop came to an end against Villanova in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Chandler Vaudrin announced that he was declaring for the NBA Draft.
In the months leading up to the draft, Vaudrin trained and received invites to work out for different teams. According to a source close to the situation, Vaudrin worked out for eight teams: the Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies, Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Despite the fact that those teams have expressed interest in Vaudrin owned 14 of the draft’s 30 second-round picks, Vaudrin did not hear his name called on draft night. However, within hours of the draft’s conclusion, Vaudrin reached an agreement with an NBA team.
An Ohio-native, Vaudrin inked a deal with the team he grew up cheering for — the Cleveland Cavaliers. The contract was an Exhibit 10 contract, which is essentially a one-year minimum deal that could be converted into a larger contract and includes potential bonuses according to the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NBA and its Player’s Association.
As a member of the Cavs, Vaudrin made his NBA Summer League debut on Aug. 8 against the Houston Rockets. In 12 minutes of playing time, Vaudrin recorded one assist, one steal, three rebounds (one offensive, two defensive), and one point after going one-for-two at the free-throw line. His +6 plus/minus rating (used to represent how well a team played while a player was on the court) was the highest plus/minus rating out of all the Cavs’ players.
Three nights later, Vaudrin took the court again for the Cavs, though he didn’t enter the game until the third quarter. Receiving just eight minutes of playing time, Vaudrin still made the most of his opportunity, recording two points, two assists, three rebounds and one block.
Vaudrin’s lone basket of the night came when he rebounded the ball on defense and dribbled from coast to coast, spinning in the lane for a beautiful finish at the rim.
In his third game, Vaudrin earned his first start as a pro. The former Eagle played 11 minutes and recorded two points, three assists and three rebounds before injuring his leg late in the first half. Early reports indicated the injury was serious and could be knee-related, and Vaudrin did not appear in either of the Cavs’ final two Summer League games.
Chaese Vaudrin, Chandler Vaudrin’s older brother, told The Johnsonian on Aug. 18 that Chandler tore his ACL and would be out for the year.
Vaudrin, who started out at Division II Walsh and worked his way to Winthrop, is not unfamiliar with challenging situations. After sustaining the injury, Vaudrin shared on Instagram, “God has never made a mistake and never will. His plan is perfect.”
