Former Mizzou guards Tamar Bates and Caleb Grill fulfilled their dreams despite going unselected in the NBA Draft on Thursday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Bates announced that he signed a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets, while Grill reportedly signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Chicago Bulls, according to Taylor Eldridge of The Wichita Eagle.

“I’ll be signing a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets,” Bates said during his watch party in Kansas City in a video on X from Nathalie Jones of ABC 17 News.

Bates will join fellow former Mizzou standout Michael Porter Jr. in Denver.

The Nuggets are owned by MU alumni Stan Kroenke and his holding company Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, and the CEO and president of Denver is former Mizzou guard Josh Kroenke, who appeared in 122 games for the Tigers from 1999-2004.

Bates’ two-way deal means that Denver can roster him without it counting against its 15-player roster limit. He will be able to play for both the Nuggets and their G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold.

Bates averaged 13.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game in his senior campaign at Mizzou. He led Division I in free-throw percentage at 94.6% and shot 50.8% from the field and 39.7% from beyond the arc.

The Kansas City, Kansas, product emerged in notable mock drafts after having a successful pre-draft process, featuring participation in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, NBA G League Elite Camp and the NBA Draft combine in May.

At the NBA Draft Combine, Bates impressed by boasting a 76% (19-for-25) clip in the 3-point star drill, which tied with former Gonzaga guard Ryan Nembhard for the best of all the participants.

His hand length of 9¾ inches tied with former Duke center Khaman Maluach and Joan Beringer of France for the third longest hands after international prospects were measured in June.

The Nuggets finished the 2024-25 regular season with a 50-32 record, falling in seven games to the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the playoffs.

Grill will join former Mizzou football standout Luther Burden III in the Windy City, as the latter was drafted to the Chicago Bears with the 39th pick overall pick in the second round of the NFL Draft on April 25.

An Exhibit 10 deal allows Grill to compete for the opportunity for a spot on the Bulls or their G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, through a strong performance in the Summer League.

Grill averaged 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game in his graduate campaign at Mizzou, earning the SEC Sixth Man of the Year award. He finished the 2024-25 season ranked No. 44 nationally in 3-point percentage with a clip of 39.6%.

Grill made an impression at the Elite Camp, leading all participants with a max vertical of 38 inches. He also led in the shuttle run drill with a time of 2.7 seconds.

The Bulls finished the 2024-25 regular season with a 39-43 record, missing the playoffs with a 109-90 loss to the Miami Heat in the Play-In Tournament on April 16.

Bates and Grill have the chance to solidify their spots on their respective teams with impressive outings in the Summer League, which will take place July 10-20 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Pavilion in Las Vegas.

Ex-MU guard Tonje drafted No. 53 by Jazz

Former Mizzou guard John Tonje was the lone Tiger to hear his named called during the NBA Draft, getting selected No. 53 overall by the Utah Jazz in the second round.

“John Tonje has a strong frame. He’s tough. He’s aggressive; a good shooter with a high release and a good driver, and he’s very good on the move,” ESPN basketball analyst Jay Bilas said during the second round of the NBA Draft. “But it’s his physicality. He just bullied his way to the free-throw line over and over again this year.”

Tonje becomes the 49th player in program history to be selected in the NBA Draft despite playing just eight games with the Tigers during the 2023-24 season.

The North Omaha, Nebraska, product was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a foot injury Jan. 16, 2024.

Tonje was able to secure a hardship waiver for an extra year of eligibility, transferring to Wisconsin on May 2, 2024.

Tonje averaged 19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 37 games for the Badgers in the 2024-25 campaign, earning consensus second-team All-America honors.