Pat Connaughton

Pat Connaughton is the kind of role player who lasts a decade because he does the unglamorous things well. A two-sport athlete at Notre Dame, he was drafted as a relief pitcher by the Baltimore Orioles before committing to hoops full-time, and that competitor's edge shows in how he plays: spacing the floor as a catch-and-shoot threat, guarding bigger wings, and chasing loose balls that never reach a box score. He earned his ring as a rotation piece on Milwaukee's 2021 title team, then carried that connective, low-maintenance game forward. His counting stats are modest and his minutes are thin now, but the value is real — teams keep him because he stretches defenses, defends multiple spots, and steadies a locker room without ever needing the ball.