Steven Ashworth and Jamiya Neal will get a shot at the NBA after all.
The former Creighton players, neither taken in this year's NBA draft, joined teams following the conclusion of Thursday's second round.
Ashworth is headed to the Indiana Pacers. Neal reunited with Ryan Kalkbrenner, who the Hornets took No. 34 overall, in Charlotte.
Both Ashworth and Neal are on Exhibit 10 contracts, a one-year, minimum agreement with no guarantees. It allows both to play — essentially audition — during the NBA Summer League, which starts July 10.
From there, they'll try to try to earn one of three two-way contracts each organization has. (Indiana already has three signed; Charlotte has two.)
Come the regular season, if Ashworth, Neal or both make their teams' 15-man roster, their Exhibit 10 contracts would be converted to a standard minimum deal.
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Ashworth averaged a career-high 16.6 points per game this past season, his second at Creighton after three at Utah State. His career-high 6.5 assists led the Big East. The 6-foot point guard is the first Big East player to finish the regular season with those numbers since Syracuse’s Johnny Flynn in 2008-09.
He's a career 38.6% 3-point shooter who hit 37.4% of his 3s in 2024-25 while averaging a 8.4 attempts, another career high.
Ashworth joins an organization coming off an NBA Finals appearance, looking to bolster its backcourt following Tyrese Haliburton's Game 7 achilles tear.
Indiana drafted two guards — Marquette's Kam Jones in a proposed trade for the 38th pick and Liberty's Taelon Peter at No. 54 — and added another late Thursday in the sharpshooting Ashworth.
It's full circle for Ashworth, who returns to Indianapolis, where he once served a two-year mission trip.
Neal, a 6-foot-5 swingman known as a menacing on-ball defender, delivered in his lone season at Creighton, especially after hip surgery Pop Isaacs' season ended Pop Isaacs' season eight games in.
Overnight, Neal became the clear-cut third option for the Bluejays, who made a fifth straight NCAA tournament appearance, alongside Kalkbrenner and Ashworth.
Neal averaged 12 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists — all career-highs — in 2024-25. His 44.7% FG and 31.2% 3FG were career-highs, too, and Neal was one of only two players in the top 10 of the Big East in assists and rebounds.
After three years at Arizona State, Neal thought a fresh start with a different system would sharpen his game. He and Bluejays coach Greg McDermott believed Neal would thrive in a system that better fit his style, which wasn't the case by the end of his time at ASU.
But Neal stepped up when the Bluejays needed him to most.
Twenty-one points vs. Notre Dame matched his best scoring performance, then he passed that with 24 in a win at UConn. In his final game, Neal torched Louisville for 29 with one midrange silencer after another.
Photos: Our favorite photos from the 2024-25 Creighton men's basketball season
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Creighton's Pop Isaacs (2) goes up for a 3-pointer s head coach Greg McDermott motions in the background during the second half of a men's college basketball game against Kansas at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Steven Ashworth (1) shoots a layup during the second half of a men's college basketball game against Villanova at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. MEGAN NIELSEN, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton players cheer from the bench during the first half of a men's college basketball game against Xavier at the CHI Center in Omaha on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. MEGAN NIELSEN, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Ty Davis (9), left, and Jasen Green (0) celebrate after their victory over Xavier in a men's college basketball game at the CHI Center in Omaha on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. MEGAN NIELSEN, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) walks away after addressing fans during senior day festivities after a men's college basketball game at CHI Health Center in Omaha on Saturday, March 8, 2025. CHRIS MACHIAN, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Mason Miller (13) poses for a portrait during Creighton men's basketball media day in Omaha on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Jamiya Neal (5) goes up for a layup against Houston Christian's Porter Bazil (7) during the second half of a men's college basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Fredrick King (33) goes up for a shot against Houston Christian's Porter Bazil (7) during the second half of a men's college basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) and Sterling Knox (4) celebrate with head coach Greg McDermott after his 328 win at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Steven Ashworth (1) goes up for a 3-pointer against Nebraska's Sam Hoiberg (1) during the first half of a college men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton mascot Billy Bluejay dunks the ball during the first half of a men's college basketball game against Kansas at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton players celebrate after their fans rushed the court after defeating Kansas, 76-63, at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) goes up for a shot above Seton Hall's Emmanuel Okorafor (23) during the first half of a college men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Seton Hall's Garwey Dual (33) dunks the ball against Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) during the first half of a college men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Isaac Traudt (41) is celebrated after a call agaisnt Seton Hall's Jahseem Felton (15) during the second half of a college men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Isaac Traudt (41) dunks the ball during the first half of a men's college basketball game against Xavier at the CHI Center in Omaha on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. MEGAN NIELSEN, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Steven Ashworth (1) reacts after a basket against Xavier during the second half of a college men's basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Billy Bluejay waves a flag during player introductions before the first half of a men's college basketball game at CHI Health Center in Omaha on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. CHRIS MACHIAN, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Steven Ashworth (1) dribbles the ball against Marquette during the first half of a men's college basketball game at CHI Health Center in Omaha on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. CHRIS MACHIAN, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Mason Miller (13) looks to pass the ball away from Marquette's Kam Jones (1) during the first half of a men's college basketball game at CHI Health Center in Omaha on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. CHRIS MACHIAN THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Jamiya Neal (5) dunks the ball during the second half of a college men's basketball game against Connecticut at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) goes up to dunk the ball during the second half of a college men's basketball game against Georgetown at the CHI Center in Omaha on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. MEGAN NIELSEN, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) celebrates going into a timeout after dunking the ball during the second half of a college men's basketball game against Georgetown at the CHI Center in Omaha on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. MEGAN NIELSEN, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) dunks the ball during the second half of a college men's basketball game against DePaul at CHI Health Center in Omaha, on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Steven Ashworth (1) walks out during pre-game introductions before the first half af a men's college basketball game at CHI Health Center in Omaha on Saturday, March 8, 2025. CHRIS MACHIAN, THE WORLD-HERALD
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Creighton's Steven Ashworth (1) carries his son Tommy Jay as he walks out during senior day festivities after a men's college basketball game at CHI Health Center in Omaha on Saturday, March 8, 2025. CHRIS MACHIAN, THE WORLD-HERALD
Andy Sajevic
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