Former Aztec Nathan Mensah is headed for the Charlotte Hornets.
Mensah, 25, did not get picked in Thursday’s NBA Draft, but is among the many undrafted free agents who were signed after the event. According to USA Today, he received an Exhibit-10 contract.
What is such a deal? Let the Sporting News explain:
“An Exhibit 10 contract is a one-year, minimum salary contract with no other bonuses. The Exhibit 10 attachment gives NBA teams the ability to convert the contract into a Two-Way deal, but only if they do it before the start of the regular season.”
That’s compared to a Two-Way contract, which allows players to compete both for an NBA team and their G-League affiliate, with certain limitations.
Mensah received the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year award for the second time following the 2022-23 season. With 46 blocks, he also was named to the conference All-Defensive Team.
He left his stamp on the Aztec record books. Mensah is ranked No. 1 in games started, No. 2 in blocks, victories, conference victories and games played, No. 3 in rebounds, No. 11 in field-goal percentage and minutes, and No. 14 in points-rebounds-assists. He is the second player in program history to score at least 800 points, grab at least 700 rebounds and block at least 200 shots in his career.
Mensah holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from San Diego State’s Fowler College of Business, and is pursuing an MBA.
The Hornets, who held the second pick in the draft, chose Brandon Miller. The forward played for Alabama, the No. 1 seed that San Diego State beat in an upset during its deep 2023 NCAA Tournament run, which led to a loss to UConn in the championship game.
