THERE is a fine line between being drafted into the National Basketball Association and being overlooked.Playing with the right college can be big factor.Or it might be as simple as who you know.Ballarat Miners import Drake Reed knows the frustration of missing out, despite putting the form on the board.Has Reed given up hope of living his basketball dream and playing in the NBA though?No way.He could not be further from this scenario.Reed's continued desire to make it in the NBA is a major reason he is in Australia refining his court craft and about to embark on a new chapter in his playing career with French Pro B League club team ALM Evreux. The disappointment of not being picked up in the 2009 NBA draft remains a driving force for him.An NBA career appeared a real possibility after his four-year NCAA division one college career at Austin Peay State.He was a star - a scoring machine.They were great times.Being recruited by Austin Peay State was a reward for a lot of hard work, and on getting there, Reed said he took on board every bit of advice he could get.He made the most of every opportunity that went his way.Like every young basketballer in the United States, Reed was well aware ahead of the draft at the end of his college career just how much luck was involved in being picked up, no matter how good your form was."The top 10 to 15 are always a stand-out."Reed said from there it could get down to who you knew or where you had played."I'd held my own against draft prospects."I felt good."As the draft drew closer, he had cause for concern.Despite having been seen by scouts, he only made it to one pre-draft training camp, with the Atlanta Hawks.Two other workouts were cancelled.Reed said he was left with a feeling of defeat after the draft, knowing he had matched it with the calibre of players who had been selected.Right then playing basketball in Australia was not on the radar in any sense.Eager to pursue a professional career, he went close to playing in Israel, Germany and Finland before finally getting an approach by the Ballarat Miners for what now will be a one-season stay in the South East Australian Basketball League. With his French contract running until June next year, he will not be available to return to the Miners next season.While basketball is now Reed's life, there was a time when he could easily have taken another road in professional sport.Reed said as a teenager, he played a lot of American football.He said though, he had been a bigger supporter of basketball since being captivated as a four and five-year-old boy But, like Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, he enjoyed playing both sports as a youngster.Reed played as a wide receiver and in his teenage years, up to 17, was rated more highly as a footballer."I was bigger than most."It came more natural to me," he said.This latter factor was a major reason he chose to turn to basketball."There was no challenge. I would have been cheating myself," Reed said.Right now the Ballarat Miners are certainly grateful that he chose to go down that path and accepted an offer to travel to the other side of the world to pursue a basketball career.Reed could prove the key to the Wes Davidson Real Estate Miners making the SEABL conference finals for the first time in four years.He is averaging 21.7 points and 8.7 rebounds, having topped 30 points four times.Whatever happens, Reed is sure about one thing.He is enjoying life.