Nate Darling goes undrafted but will sign deal with NBA club

Bedford's Nate Darling wasn't selected in Wednesday night's NBA draft but he has taken another step toward becoming the first Nova Scotia born player to play in the NBA.

Darling, who played college basketball at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and the University of Delaware, is set to sign a two-way contract with the Charlotte Hornets.

Darling declared himself eligible for the NBA draft after a breakout season last year in Delaware. The three-point specialist was one of the NCAA's top shooters, averaging 21 points per game and shooting 39.9% from three-point range.

Darling scored 672 points in 2019-2020, seven shy of the school record. He also set a University of Delaware record by hitting 107 three-pointers last season.

The two-way deal means the six-foot-five-inch guard could split his time playing in Charlotte, if he makes the Hornets roster when NBA training camps open next month, or he'll play in nearby Greensboro for the Hornets' minor league affiliate in the NBA G League.

Darling left Canada in the ninth grade and enrolled at DeMatha Catholic High School, a basketball powerhouse in Hyattsville, Maryland.

In the summer of 2015, he returned to his hometown and etched his name in Canadian basketball lore, scoring 50 points to lead Team Nova Scotia to an upset of Team Ontario in the gold medal game at the U-17 Canada Basketball Championship.

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