DeAndre Daniels to play in Australia

On draft night, DeAndre Daniels learned he needed to renew his passport. What he didn't know was that he would have to fly across the Pacific Ocean. Instead of signing with the Raptors, Daniels instead will sign a one-year contract to play with the Perth Wildcats in the National Basketball League, Australia's top league.

Daniels, 22, averaged 16 points and 7 rebounds per game as a member of UConn's national championship team in 2013-14. He was chosen in the second round as the 37th pick in the NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors. In five games in the NBA's Summer League, Daniels averaged 10 points and 6 rebounds.

By having Daniels play overseas, the Raptors will retain his rights for one year. It is standard operating procedure for many NBA franchises to stash second round picks overseas, as they do not have the roster space to carry them. The Perth Wildcats have established themselves as a strong program for fostering NBA-level talents. Last season, another NBA second-round pick, James Ennis, was voted third for the NBL MVP. He has recently signed to play with the Miami Heat in the coming season. The Raptors hope that DeAndre Daniels can have the same sort of impact during his time Down Under.