Busted & Disgusted
Should have been a Piston…Whenever a guy turns out to be a draft bust, we automatically want to blame the team that picked him for not foreseeing it. But in reality, it’s not always the team’s fault. Example: let’s assume Kevin Durant goes No. 2 to Seattle this week. Now hypothetically fast-forward seven years: Durant is averaging 9 points a game as a injury-riddled backup, Joakim Noah has a championship ring with the Bulls, and Brandan Wright is an All-Star. How could you possibly blame the Sonics for taking KD when they did? If they would have chosen Wright or Noah or anyone else, they would have been crucified by the media and fans. So it’s not always the fault of the front office; sometimes it’s just bad luck, injuries, or an uninspired ballplayer who makes them look bad. Looking back at some of the more recent memorable draft busts, it’s a mix of guys whose bust status falls on their own shoulders, and others where blame falls on the team that picked them.
1995 – Joe Smith (Maryland), No. 1 to Golden State
The standards are always higher when you’re the top pick. Smith has managed some respectable numbers over his career (12 points, 7 boards per game), but considering he was drafted ahead of guys like Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, Jerry Stackhouse, Michael Finley and Antonio McDyess — and that he’s been a meaningful player on a good team only twice (‘00 and ‘02 Wolves) — he has to be considered a bust.
1996 – Todd Fuller (N.C. State), No. 11 to Golden State
The Warriors have had their share of draft busts (Patrick O’Bryant, Mike Dunleavy, Adonal Foyle, Joe Smith, Cliff Rozier, etc.), but Fuller might be the worst. The 7-footer’s career spanned five years and four different teams, where he averaged about 3 points and 3 boards and blocked a grand total of 60 shots in 220-plus games. Oh yeah, and he was drafted ahead of Kobe, Steve Nash and Jermaine O’Neal.
2003 – Darko Milicic (Serbia & Montenegro), No. 2 to Detroit
You can say he’s shown promise since being dealt to Orlando (8.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.8 bpg in ‘06-07), but face it: he never should have been picked ahead of ‘Melo, Bosh, D-Wade, Hinrich, T.J. Ford … even Chris Kaman. The worst part is that as soon as Cleveland won the ‘03 Lottery it was a no-brainer they were picking LeBron, so the Pistons had ample time to study the rest of the field and make the right call.
1984 – Sam Bowie (Kentucky), No. 2 to Portland
His numbers actually aren’t bad (10.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and his potential was snuffed out due to injuries more than anything else, but Bowie will still always be known as the guy picked right before MJ and viewed as a colossal bust.
1993 – Shawn Bradley (BYU), No. 2 to Philadelphia
Someday they’ll keep a stat for Getting Dunked On, and when that happens, Shawn Bradley will be the standard-bearer. The guy could block shots (2.5 bpg), but as hyped as he was coming out of college and as literally one of the biggest players to ever suit up (7-foot-6), he wasn’t worth being chosen ahead of Penny Hardaway, Jamal Mashburn and Sam Cassell. Even Vin Baker, chosen six spots after Bradley, had a better career.
1987 – Dennis Hopson (Ohio State), No. 3 to New Jersey
Who? Exactly. In one of the deepest drafts of all-time — where David Robinson went first and Armon “Hammer” Gilliam went second — Hopson (who dropped 29 ppg at OSU) was picked ahead of first-rounders Reggie Williams, Scottie Pippen, Kenny Smith, Kevin Johnson, Derrick McKey, Horace Grant, Reggie Miller, Muggsy Bogues, Mark Jackson and Reggie Lewis. Hopson had a forgettable five-year run in the League (10.9 ppg) with three teams, and the Nets won an average of 20 games in the three years Hopson played for them.
1999 – Trajan Langdon (Duke), No. 11 to Cleveland
When people talk about Duke players not succeeding in the League, the “Alaskan Assassin” always pops up. His impact was last felt about a year ago, when every Blue Devil-hater wanted to peg J.J. Redick as the next Langdon around Draft time. While Trajan had one of the purest shots you’ll ever see on the college level, he didn’t have much chance to show it in the pros; his career lasted all of 110 games as a backup for some bad Cavs teams. And he was picked over the likes of Corey Maggette, Ron Artest, James Posey and AK-47.
2002 – Nikoloz Tskitishvili (Italy), No. 5 to Denver
Single-handedly did more to kill the NBA’s obsession with European players than any one player. Skita hardly got any clock for his Euroleague team, and became a hot commodity based on potential (a 7-foot small forward) and private workouts. How’d that pan out? After the Nuggets picked him over Amare Stoudemire, Caron Butler and Tayshaun Prince, Skita only really played one full year in the League (3.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg) and parts of three others before fizzing out and going back overseas.
2000 – Stromile Swift (LSU), No. 2 to Vancouver
Seven years into his career, it’s tough to argue that Stro will ever reach the heights projected for him when he came out of LSU hyped as the school’s best big man since Shaq. Physically, Swift has every gift someone his size could ask for — including some ridiculous hops and a wingspan that belongs on the National Geographic channel — but Stro’s biggest flaws are internal. He just doesn’t look like he cares. He’s good for putting a few guys on YouTube every year with some crazy dunks, but as a whole, he’s never put it all together. Even a “change of scenery” season in Houston didn’t do anything to jump-start Swift’s career. When he’s not injured (he’s played 67 games a year on average) he’s been only mildly productive (8.8 points, 4.9 boards).
2001 – Kwame Brown (Glynn Academy H.S.), No. 1 to Washington
Like Stro, Kwame has all the tools to be great, but hasn’t made it translate to the court. His biggest shortcomings are basketball IQ and slippery hands. Kwame is only 25 and has time to turn it around, but it seems every time he takes a step forward, and injury or his own mistakes takes him two steps back. The five players taken directly after Kwame (Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol, Eddy Curry, J-Rich, Shane Battier) have all made significantly more of an impact in the League.
1998 – Michael Olowokandi (Pacific), No. 1 to L.A. Clippers
Maybe the biggest bust of all-time, considering he was a questionable top pick to begin with (putting up 22 and 11 at Pacific isn’t exactly 22 and 11 at Kansas), never did anything for the Clippers when they had him, and hasn’t done anything since except become one of the poster boys for the lazy ballplayer who’s just there to pick up a check. What possessed L.A. to take him over Bibby, Vince, Jamison, Dirk and Pierce? Most likely because it was the year after Tim Duncan went No. 1 overall, and the Clips thought they had their own franchise center.
June 25th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Trinity says:
Olowokandi went #1 and Brad Miller went undrafted the same year. Miller’s been a two-time All-Star which makes Olowokandi that much more of a bust.
June 25th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Half Crazy Girl says:
yeah Olowokandi is definitely the biggest bust of all time… i don’t think anyone can beat the guy… here for the money, that’s all! how can he be satisfied and proud of himself like that??? i just don’t get it!
June 25th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
TheJed says:
To Kyle’s point, whoever had the pick right after Denver the year that Skita was drafted probably would have also drafted Skita.
June 25th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
grayworld says:
Im actually glad that Darko went to the pistons that year. i mean larry brown was the coach and he hates playing rooks and i dont think chris bosh, d-wade, or mello would have grown as players if they would have went to detroit that year. larry brown’s system handcuffs players anyway. so im glad it was darko who got stuck wit larry brown. darko should be iight next year anyway
June 25th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Austin Burton says:
Larry Brown played Channing Frye as a rookie. I think had he been given a hyped-up guy like ‘Melo, he would have played him.
June 25th, 2007 at 3:29 pm
joshua says:
Good job on the bust list Kyle, It always seems that a player is looked at as more of a bust if a a player dratfed below him turns out to be great. Sometimes I think teams make honest mistakes when drafting, but there are sometimes where even the fans are wondering how you cna make a certain pick….like drako over melo..?
June 25th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
Bron42 says:
i’m pretty sure the checks that guys like olowokandi, brian cardinal, ado foyle etc…keep gettin helps easy the pain of sucking so horribly…and we still left out guys like dunleavy, darius miles, etc..
June 25th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Danilo says:
How about Dajuan Wagner? And, of course, Reece Gaines.
June 25th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
kudabeen says:
Bo Kimble!!
Everyone forgets about this man’ game. He had it all and was the #8 pick in a pretty good 1990 draft. The death of his friend and ending up with the Clippers together somehow stole his desire to play. Ya’ll have to do a story on Bo Kimble…
I don’t think bust were this big in those days… People ride Kwame Brown, Joe Smith, Olawkandi, High Schoolers, International players, nd etc for being bust…None of them were as proven or as great as Bo was going to be. I watched him toy with Gary Payton in one-on-one. He averaged 35ppg 8rpg 3spg 52%fg 46%3pt 86%ft. I remeber wanting his game, maybe because I was from Philly, but he was a offensive beast. Adrian Dantly with Deep Range and handle.
(side note: the nba should bring back those pre-draft games, one-on-one, highest leaper type stuff. It would add to the hype machine to see how much of a freakish athlete DJ Strawberry is and how rediculous it is to judge Durant by being able to bench his own weight, when clearly that’s not his game)
Check how awful his NBA numbers are compared to college:
http://www.databasebasketball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=KIMBLBO01
June 25th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
J-Cub says:
How ’bout draft day trades that teams would want to take back? In 87 Seattle traded Scottie Pippen for Olden Polynice… Or whatabout Charlotte trading Kobe for Divac?
June 25th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
Bust Jlaze says:
haha…good point, J-Cub…that would be a dope article. I was just thinking, the Melo and Darko thing…Pistons won a title the next year with Darko in the lineup…I guess in a way, having Darko helped them be able to put the team they had together…if they had Melo, then which Championship team players would they NOT have had? Definitely not Sheed, who they got at just the right time…Still a stupid choice, don’t get me wrong, but it turned out not to be such a BUST, since the Pistons have since done MAD better than the Nuggets
June 25th, 2007 at 11:31 pm
Bron42 says:
Wagner doesn’t really count since his career has always been shady and injury plagued. He was strictly a scorer and even in the nba did OK but was destroyed by crazy injuries like bladder infections and colon issues..
June 26th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Nando says:
What about “Never Nervous” Pervis Ellison? Kings picked him #1 in the ‘89 draft.
June 26th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Bob R says:
How about Bo Kimble?
June 26th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
Moe says:
How about the 89 draft. Ellision 1st and Ferry 2nd.
June 26th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
Dash Bored says:
How about Oden for a possible bust? His workout for the Blazers showed he was in surprisingly bad shape. Sure he’s busy and knows he doesn’t need to train right now to go 1 or 2. But this is the most important moment so far in his basketball career, and he’s already losing focus, unlike Durant.
All pro sports are littered with guys who dig being the biggest dog on a small block (like Brian Bosworth) or guys who seem to have great tools but just don’t care to keep up with a pro grind over a long season (Benoit Benjamin, Jerome James). Sure he’s no Jerome James, but he’s no Shaq either. And since he’s counted on to be defense first, that’s not going to go very far if he lacks drive.
June 26th, 2007 at 9:03 pm
doncaloy says:
what about PERVIS ELLISON?
June 26th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
JT says:
Being from Vancouver all I have to say is Bryant “Big Country” Reeves
June 27th, 2007 at 2:25 am
Junkz says:
What about Harold”Baby Jordan” Miner?
He was drafted 1st Round (#12 overall) by the Heat.
Man! I was hoping that kid would be awesome!
August 12th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Noah aka Prez says:
How bout Evan Eschmeyer? LOL or Dan Dicku?!!!!! I think that guy’s been traded more than Jim Jackson/Raja Bell?
I can’t believe you put Eddy Curry in the same category as Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol, J-Rich and Shane Battier??? Seriously man, that was disgusting. I’ve never seen anyone so much as wear a Eddy Curry jersey. LOL
And for the record, Eric Dampier is just as bad as Kwame Brown – his hands are covered in butter b/c he always seems to knock the ball up in the air 5 or more consistent times!!!!
And what about that piece of shit I’m-going-use-my-daddys-success-to-enter-the-league Luke Walton? I mean come on! I admit I hate his dad and his annoying announcing style. Not to mention he biasly sides w/ the Spurs every game no matter if the opponent is the better team. Giving them constant compliments….
But I guess these aren’t trade upsets, more like “Name That Sorry Player!” lol *cough* Marquis Daniels…
March 27th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
manatee26 says:
It’s kind of unfair to lump Jow Smith in with those other guys. He was never a superstar, but he’s a good, unselfish player that any team would want to have. Everyone else on the list is a bust plus a few that other commentators named (Miner, Reeves, Washburn, Ellison, Ferry, Fizer). Bowie is an overrated bust. He was a very promising player whose career was wrecked by injuries. The other busts just couldn’t play.