IOWA CITY, Iowa – If anybody is equipped to handle the disappointment with not being selected in the NBA Draft, it’s former Iowa forward Jarrod Uthoff.

The Cedar Rapids native wasn’t among the 60 players picked in the two-round draft on Thursday.

Hawkeye fans were shocked, angry and confused about a draft in which former Iowa State forward Abdel Nader was picked, but Uthoff wasn’t.

Nader mostly was a role player for the Cyclones, while Uthoff was a star this past season. Uthoff even made the cover of Sports Illustrated, in addition to making to first-team all-Big Ten and third-team All-America.

Most of the pre-draft hype had the 6-foot-9 Uthoff going in the mid-to-late second round. It was suggested that he might even be picked in the first round, but that seemed a little optimistic based on the field of candidates, especially with the foreign influence being so strong.

Uthoff missed out on a milestone moment that so few get to experience with being drafted. But it hardly means the end of his NBA journey.

The 23-year old Uthoff now will pursue his dream as a free agent, which gives him the freedom and flexibility to pick the best fit.

He can use former Iowa forward Reggie Evans as inspiration, considering Evans played 13 seasons in the NBA despite not being drafted in 2002.

Evans lasted so long mostly because of his rebounding ability. He did one thing exceptionally well. Actually, he did two things exceptionally well if you combine rebounding with his tenacity.

Uthoff, on the other hand, is more versatile and polished, but there isn’t one thing he does exceptionally well by NBA standards. He’s good at a lot of things, including making 3-point shots and blocking shots on the perimeter and near the basket.

But with Evans, you knew in college and quickly in the NBA that he was capable of having double-figure rebounding totals in practically every game.

Uthoff is more of an enigma.

He certainly has NBA talent, along with high character and a team-first attitude.

But it’s hard enough making an NBA roster, let alone surviving in the league.

This year’s draft was yet another reminder to not always believe the hype.

Former Michigan State forward Deyonta Davis was projected as a lottery pick, but instead fell to the first pick in the second round where contracts aren’t guaranteed.

Davis has the skills to play in the NBA for a long time. And for his sake, you hope so, considering he only spent one year in college.

Uthoff spent five years in college and probably accomplished more in the classroom than on the court. He was named the 2015-16 Academic All-America of the Year for Division I Men’s Basketball as a senior last season.

He has an economics degree and was pursuing a Master’s in leisure studies during the spring semester. He also had a 4.0 grade-point average during the fall semester.

In other words, Uthoff has prepared for life after basketball.

That should allow him to chase his dream of playing in the NBA with few outside distractions because he has taken care of business away from the court.

Uthoff also could play overseas and make lots of money. A player of Uthoff’s stature would be embraced overseas. His finesse game fits with the playing style in some of the foreign countries.

Thursday’s draft was a disappointment for Uthoff and for Iowa fans, who wanted to see a Hawkeye selected for the third year in a row.

But it was just temporary setback. Uthoff has worked too hard on and off the court to let it derail him.