NBA Draft Moves Teams Regret
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25. Cal Bowdler (1999, #16, Atlanta) - Bowdler, despite having little talent, has kept an NBA job with the Atlanta Hawks for the past 4 seasons. Although I agree that Bowdler isn't the best player to put on this list, he is just an example of the horrible 1999 Draft the Atlanta Hawks had. After having little success beating out Eastern Conference teams such as the Bulls, Heat, Knicks, and Pacers in the late 1990s, the Hawks decided to mix up their team. As most of you remember, they foolishly dealt Mookie Blaylock and Steve Smith (who led them to 50-win seasons throughout the 1990s) to the Warriors and Blazers, respectively, in the same offseason for young talent. Isaiah Rider (who has a spot on this list) and picks were received in exchange for those players, Bowdler being one of them along with Dion Glover and Jumaine Jones. Unfortunately, Jones, the only decent player from that list, was sent to Philadelphia in exchange for a future first-rounder. The Hawks, who have a few spots on this list, have now been sent into a tailspin since that draft, attempting unsuccessfully to obtain good players and make the playoffs.
24. Trajan Langdon (1999, #11, Cleveland) - Langdon was an All-American player at Duke, a player many experts believed should make the transition into the NBA as a smooth jump shooter and decent ballhandler. What happened was the complete opposite. Langdon has spent the past few seasons in Cleveland, attempting unsuccessfully to crack the rotation on one of the worst teams in the NBA. Langdon is an example of another Duke player that, after obtaining success at Duke, has not become a good NBA player. However, as shown later in this list, Langdon was not the worst Blue Devil to come out of college that year.
23. Michael Olowokandi (1998, #1, LA Clippers) - OK, relax before you misunderstand. Michael Olowokandi is not a bad player. He has obtained (albeit minimal) success for the Clippers as their starting center. However, considering the players the Clippers could've selected instead of Olowokandi, he has to be considered somewhat of a bust. The Clippers surprised everyone at the 1998 Draft, selecting a 7-foot center from Pacific University. They made this pick with players such as Mike Bibby, Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki, Antawn Jamison, and Paul Pierce laying around. Hell, they could've even picked Raef LaFrentz, who had a solid career at Kansas. Olowokandi has a 10 ppg, 7 rpg lifetime average, while those five players are all-stars. Another wasted opportunity by Donald Sterling to compete.
22. Ed Gray (1997, #22, Atlanta) - Ahh, who could forget Ed Gray? Gray was a 6'6 shooting guard out of California who was expected to take over for an aging Steve Smith in Atlanta. Gray played 2 unsuccessful seasons in Atlanta, contributing as little in their playoff runs as in the regular season. Gray ended up with a 6 ppg scoring average and a 33% field-goal percentage. He's now working somewhere in California, presumably.
21. Jeryl Sasser (2001, #22, Orlando) - Orlando needed a point guard in the 2001 Draft. This was understandable, since they already got an, ahem, stud big man in Steven Hunter and Darrell Armstrong's age was a concern. Jeryl Sasser, straight out of SMU, was selected as Armstrong's successor. The problem? Jamaal Tinsley, Tony Parker, and Gilbert Arenas were still sitting on the board when Sasser was selected. Despite John Gabriel's success as Orlando's GM, this draft certainly is a thorn in his side. Sasser was played minimally in two seasons, since then replaced by Jacque Vaughn as Orlando's backup.
20. Priest Lauderdale (1996, #28, Atlanta) - Atlanta, again? Lauderdale was a 7'3, 360 pound center that was actually selected out of Greece to become Dikembe Mutombo's successor in Atlanta. As draft day approached, Lauderdale was believed to be a Shaquille O'Neal-type player. How wrong can one be? Lauderdale played 2 lackluster seasons in the NBA, as Atlanta released him after his first season and Denver (of all teams) picked him up. Lauderdale is now playing overseas somewhere while watching tapes of Oliver Miller. Oddly, the only player from the '96 Draft to make this list. Maybe that's because (get ready) the likes of Allen Iverson, Marcus Camby, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Ray Allen, Stephon Marbury, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Antoine Walker, Peja Stojakovic, Jermaine O'Neal, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas were taken in this draft. I'll give you a second to catch your breath.
19. Mateen Cleaves (2000, #14, Detroit) - Mateen Cleaves was on cloud nine heading into the 2000 NBA Draft. He had just won the NCAA Championship with Michigan State, and the Flint, Michigan product was picked by his hometown team to become their point guard of the future. It can't get any better than that, right? Wrong. Cleaves played one season in Detroit, averaging 6 ppg and 3 apg before being shipped off to Sacramento in the infamous Jon Barry deal. Cleaves is now the fourth-string point guard in Sacramento, behind the likes of Mike Bibby and Bobby Jackson. I honestly like Mateen Cleaves as a person and a player, and it is unfortunate that a guy with this much talent and potential is being laid to waste.
18. Shawn Respert (1995, #8, Milwaukee) - Shawn Respert was another Michigan State product looking to achieve success in the NBA through hard work. Respert was known as a solid swingman in college that had the potential to be a star in the NBA. On draft day, Portland shipped him to Milwaukee for Gary Trent and a future 1st Round pick, which was an excellent decision by Portland. Respert spent five unimportant seasons in the NBA, averaging 4.9 ppg and 1.3 apg before retiring in 1998-1999.
17. William Avery (1999, #14, Minnesota) - And now, without further adieu, is the player from the 1999 Duke squad that ended up worse than Trajan Langdon. Avery, despite being battle-tested as an NCAA point guard champion and an All-American, never made the most of his opportunity in Minnesota. While Elton Brand and Corey Maggette have had good NBA careers, Avery has spent most of his time in the NBA on the bench. He is now Minnesota's third-string point guard behind Troy Hudson and Terrell Brandon, and he has averaged 3 points and 1 assist in his career. So much for battle-tested point guards.
16. Leon Smith (1999, #29, San Antonio) - One of the more publicized draft busts of all-time, Leon is to basketball what Demetrius Underwood is to the NFL. Players that are able to find trouble immediately after being drafted are hard to find, but Smith was able to find it right away. Smith went totally crazy after the draft, becoming somewhat of a bipolar character. He was sent away for a while, which competely turned away the Spurs. Smith is now trying to resurrect his young career with the Milwaukee Bucks, but whether or not it'll be successful is still undetermined.
24. Trajan Langdon (1999, #11, Cleveland) - Langdon was an All-American player at Duke, a player many experts believed should make the transition into the NBA as a smooth jump shooter and decent ballhandler. What happened was the complete opposite. Langdon has spent the past few seasons in Cleveland, attempting unsuccessfully to crack the rotation on one of the worst teams in the NBA. Langdon is an example of another Duke player that, after obtaining success at Duke, has not become a good NBA player. However, as shown later in this list, Langdon was not the worst Blue Devil to come out of college that year.
23. Michael Olowokandi (1998, #1, LA Clippers) - OK, relax before you misunderstand. Michael Olowokandi is not a bad player. He has obtained (albeit minimal) success for the Clippers as their starting center. However, considering the players the Clippers could've selected instead of Olowokandi, he has to be considered somewhat of a bust. The Clippers surprised everyone at the 1998 Draft, selecting a 7-foot center from Pacific University. They made this pick with players such as Mike Bibby, Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki, Antawn Jamison, and Paul Pierce laying around. Hell, they could've even picked Raef LaFrentz, who had a solid career at Kansas. Olowokandi has a 10 ppg, 7 rpg lifetime average, while those five players are all-stars. Another wasted opportunity by Donald Sterling to compete.
22. Ed Gray (1997, #22, Atlanta) - Ahh, who could forget Ed Gray? Gray was a 6'6 shooting guard out of California who was expected to take over for an aging Steve Smith in Atlanta. Gray played 2 unsuccessful seasons in Atlanta, contributing as little in their playoff runs as in the regular season. Gray ended up with a 6 ppg scoring average and a 33% field-goal percentage. He's now working somewhere in California, presumably.
21. Jeryl Sasser (2001, #22, Orlando) - Orlando needed a point guard in the 2001 Draft. This was understandable, since they already got an, ahem, stud big man in Steven Hunter and Darrell Armstrong's age was a concern. Jeryl Sasser, straight out of SMU, was selected as Armstrong's successor. The problem? Jamaal Tinsley, Tony Parker, and Gilbert Arenas were still sitting on the board when Sasser was selected. Despite John Gabriel's success as Orlando's GM, this draft certainly is a thorn in his side. Sasser was played minimally in two seasons, since then replaced by Jacque Vaughn as Orlando's backup.
20. Priest Lauderdale (1996, #28, Atlanta) - Atlanta, again? Lauderdale was a 7'3, 360 pound center that was actually selected out of Greece to become Dikembe Mutombo's successor in Atlanta. As draft day approached, Lauderdale was believed to be a Shaquille O'Neal-type player. How wrong can one be? Lauderdale played 2 lackluster seasons in the NBA, as Atlanta released him after his first season and Denver (of all teams) picked him up. Lauderdale is now playing overseas somewhere while watching tapes of Oliver Miller. Oddly, the only player from the '96 Draft to make this list. Maybe that's because (get ready) the likes of Allen Iverson, Marcus Camby, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Ray Allen, Stephon Marbury, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Antoine Walker, Peja Stojakovic, Jermaine O'Neal, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas were taken in this draft. I'll give you a second to catch your breath.
19. Mateen Cleaves (2000, #14, Detroit) - Mateen Cleaves was on cloud nine heading into the 2000 NBA Draft. He had just won the NCAA Championship with Michigan State, and the Flint, Michigan product was picked by his hometown team to become their point guard of the future. It can't get any better than that, right? Wrong. Cleaves played one season in Detroit, averaging 6 ppg and 3 apg before being shipped off to Sacramento in the infamous Jon Barry deal. Cleaves is now the fourth-string point guard in Sacramento, behind the likes of Mike Bibby and Bobby Jackson. I honestly like Mateen Cleaves as a person and a player, and it is unfortunate that a guy with this much talent and potential is being laid to waste.
18. Shawn Respert (1995, #8, Milwaukee) - Shawn Respert was another Michigan State product looking to achieve success in the NBA through hard work. Respert was known as a solid swingman in college that had the potential to be a star in the NBA. On draft day, Portland shipped him to Milwaukee for Gary Trent and a future 1st Round pick, which was an excellent decision by Portland. Respert spent five unimportant seasons in the NBA, averaging 4.9 ppg and 1.3 apg before retiring in 1998-1999.
17. William Avery (1999, #14, Minnesota) - And now, without further adieu, is the player from the 1999 Duke squad that ended up worse than Trajan Langdon. Avery, despite being battle-tested as an NCAA point guard champion and an All-American, never made the most of his opportunity in Minnesota. While Elton Brand and Corey Maggette have had good NBA careers, Avery has spent most of his time in the NBA on the bench. He is now Minnesota's third-string point guard behind Troy Hudson and Terrell Brandon, and he has averaged 3 points and 1 assist in his career. So much for battle-tested point guards.
16. Leon Smith (1999, #29, San Antonio) - One of the more publicized draft busts of all-time, Leon is to basketball what Demetrius Underwood is to the NFL. Players that are able to find trouble immediately after being drafted are hard to find, but Smith was able to find it right away. Smith went totally crazy after the draft, becoming somewhat of a bipolar character. He was sent away for a while, which competely turned away the Spurs. Smith is now trying to resurrect his young career with the Milwaukee Bucks, but whether or not it'll be successful is still undetermined.
15. Bryce Drew (1998, #16, Houston) - Bryce Drew is one of those flash-in-the-pan, remembered for one thing type of NBA players. Drew will always be remembered for his shot in the 1997 NCAA Tournament that sent Valparaiso to the Second Round, a shot that is remembered by sports fans and college basketball fans as one of the most clutch shots in history. As for his NBA career, well, there's not much to look at there. Drew showed some promise with the Houston Rockets in his first two seasons before being released in the 2000 campaign. It took him a few months before the Chicago Bulls signed him for a half-season where he showed promise once again. Now, Drew is relaxing on the bench in New Orleans with the Hornets, with that shot in college still in his mind.
14. Alek Radojevic (1999, #12, Toronto) - It's bad enough when some teams just pick a certain international player from another country, hoping for him to be the next big thing. Radojevic was selected straight out of a friggin Junior College in Kansas without any success there. Great job Raptors! Radojevic played three NBA games with the Raptors before leaving the team, probably going back to Greece or something. If anyone knows his whereabouts, call 1-800-HAS-BEEN. Thanks.
13. Isaiah Rider (1993, #10, Minnesota) - J.R. Rider was on top of the world his first few seasons in Minnesota. He showed promise as one of the bright stars in the game, averaging nearly 20 ppg in his first three seasons in the NBA with a Dunk Contest to show for his abilities. Somewhere down the line, everything went wrong for Rider. After Minnesota, Rider had stops over in Atlanta, Portland, and Denver, stops that were marred by controversy and lack of true knowledge of the player he was. Rider averaged 16.7 ppg in 8 seasons in the NBA, but most NBA fans knew him as a selfish player that was mostly known for his troubles offcourt. I happen to be a fan of Rider because I know of the talent he once possessed and showed in the NBA, and it is a shame that the talent was wasted.
12. Randolph Childress (1995, #19, Detroit) - Randolph Childress, like Bryce Drew, is another player that is remembered for one moment. Besides being Tim Duncan's stud point guard at Wake Forest, Childress is known for one of the nastiest moves in NCAA history. In a game against North Carolina in 1994, Childress absolutely destroyed UNC's Jeff McInnis with a crossover that can be seen here: (http://www.pyli.org/images/randolph.gif). Oddly, McInnis is now the one playing in the NBA and Childress is gone. Childress never played a game for the Pistons, instead going to Portland and averaging 2.4 ppg and 1 apg before retiring. For the record, Michael Finley was the next player taken in the draft after Childress.
11. Antonio Daniels (1997, #4, Vancouver) - Antonio Daniels was expected to be the last piece of Vancouver's puzzle for a playoff spot. They had Bryant Reeves patrolling the middle and Shareef Abdur-Rahim at forward, so all they needed was a good guard. Daniels was selected out of Bowling Green of all places, with the #4 pick to be the Grizzlies' point guard of the future. Daniels was traded after his first season to the Spurs, and he was best known on that squad as Tim Duncan's buddy. Daniels played an average of 20 mpg on those four squads, backing up the likes of Avery Johnson and Tony Parker. He is now on Portland, struggling for playing time with the 14 other point guards they have on that roster.
10. Ed O'Bannon (1995, #9, New Jersey) - Who could forget the shiny dome of Ed O'Bannon? Ed was a National Champion on that 1995 UCLA team (along with Tyus Edney, who will never be forgotten) and he was an All-American as well. It was only natural that a failed franchise such as New Jersey would take him to improve that organization. It never happened, as Ed averaged 5 ppg in his 2 seasons in Jersey before leaving the NBA for good. His brother Charles, a player with hardly any fanfare, might've had a better career with Detroit than his brother. The epitomy of a great college player laid to waste in the rough and tumble NBA.
9. Yinka Dare (1994, #14, New Jersey) - Excuse me while I laugh uncontrollably. A player with as much offensive ability as a toddler, Yinka Dare was taken by the Nets a year earlier than O'Bannon as their big man of the future. Dare had undeniable defensive capabilities with George Washington, and with Shawn Bradley joining the Nets that season, the Nets had reason to believe they would improve. Stinka averaged 2 ppg and 2 rpg in his career, and in perhaps one of the funniest moments in NBA History, it took Stinka three years to record his first NBA assist. I was actually watching the game that Dare got his assist, it was a layup to Kerry Kittles with the Nets getting blown out and the crowd just erupted into a state of euphoria. Dare had three more assists in his NBA career, which has to place him first in NBA history as the worst player with assist/turnover ratio (4 assists in 110 games).
14. Alek Radojevic (1999, #12, Toronto) - It's bad enough when some teams just pick a certain international player from another country, hoping for him to be the next big thing. Radojevic was selected straight out of a friggin Junior College in Kansas without any success there. Great job Raptors! Radojevic played three NBA games with the Raptors before leaving the team, probably going back to Greece or something. If anyone knows his whereabouts, call 1-800-HAS-BEEN. Thanks.
13. Isaiah Rider (1993, #10, Minnesota) - J.R. Rider was on top of the world his first few seasons in Minnesota. He showed promise as one of the bright stars in the game, averaging nearly 20 ppg in his first three seasons in the NBA with a Dunk Contest to show for his abilities. Somewhere down the line, everything went wrong for Rider. After Minnesota, Rider had stops over in Atlanta, Portland, and Denver, stops that were marred by controversy and lack of true knowledge of the player he was. Rider averaged 16.7 ppg in 8 seasons in the NBA, but most NBA fans knew him as a selfish player that was mostly known for his troubles offcourt. I happen to be a fan of Rider because I know of the talent he once possessed and showed in the NBA, and it is a shame that the talent was wasted.
12. Randolph Childress (1995, #19, Detroit) - Randolph Childress, like Bryce Drew, is another player that is remembered for one moment. Besides being Tim Duncan's stud point guard at Wake Forest, Childress is known for one of the nastiest moves in NCAA history. In a game against North Carolina in 1994, Childress absolutely destroyed UNC's Jeff McInnis with a crossover that can be seen here: (http://www.pyli.org/images/randolph.gif). Oddly, McInnis is now the one playing in the NBA and Childress is gone. Childress never played a game for the Pistons, instead going to Portland and averaging 2.4 ppg and 1 apg before retiring. For the record, Michael Finley was the next player taken in the draft after Childress.
11. Antonio Daniels (1997, #4, Vancouver) - Antonio Daniels was expected to be the last piece of Vancouver's puzzle for a playoff spot. They had Bryant Reeves patrolling the middle and Shareef Abdur-Rahim at forward, so all they needed was a good guard. Daniels was selected out of Bowling Green of all places, with the #4 pick to be the Grizzlies' point guard of the future. Daniels was traded after his first season to the Spurs, and he was best known on that squad as Tim Duncan's buddy. Daniels played an average of 20 mpg on those four squads, backing up the likes of Avery Johnson and Tony Parker. He is now on Portland, struggling for playing time with the 14 other point guards they have on that roster.
10. Ed O'Bannon (1995, #9, New Jersey) - Who could forget the shiny dome of Ed O'Bannon? Ed was a National Champion on that 1995 UCLA team (along with Tyus Edney, who will never be forgotten) and he was an All-American as well. It was only natural that a failed franchise such as New Jersey would take him to improve that organization. It never happened, as Ed averaged 5 ppg in his 2 seasons in Jersey before leaving the NBA for good. His brother Charles, a player with hardly any fanfare, might've had a better career with Detroit than his brother. The epitomy of a great college player laid to waste in the rough and tumble NBA.
9. Yinka Dare (1994, #14, New Jersey) - Excuse me while I laugh uncontrollably. A player with as much offensive ability as a toddler, Yinka Dare was taken by the Nets a year earlier than O'Bannon as their big man of the future. Dare had undeniable defensive capabilities with George Washington, and with Shawn Bradley joining the Nets that season, the Nets had reason to believe they would improve. Stinka averaged 2 ppg and 2 rpg in his career, and in perhaps one of the funniest moments in NBA History, it took Stinka three years to record his first NBA assist. I was actually watching the game that Dare got his assist, it was a layup to Kerry Kittles with the Nets getting blown out and the crowd just erupted into a state of euphoria. Dare had three more assists in his NBA career, which has to place him first in NBA history as the worst player with assist/turnover ratio (4 assists in 110 games).
8. Joe Smith (1995, #1, Golden State) - Now, some of you may be surprised that I'm picking Joe this high, and Joe has had a good NBA career, but that's not why I'm doing this. Golden State has not made the playoffs for the past eleven seasons, and this is one of the main reasons why. They have not had success in picking in drafts, and whoever is worth keeping is not kept. Now, Joe Smith has averaged 14 points and 7 rebounds in his NBA career, numbers that not everyone gets today. However, when Joe was picked #1 out of Maryland eight years ago, he was believed to be the next great player in the NBA. However, look at the people chosen, in order, after him: Antonio McDyess; Jerry Stackhouse; Rasheed Wallace; Kevin Garnett. Those four players have been/are NBA all-stars, while Joe's best season was a 19 ppg, 8 rpg effort in 1996-1997. He's a good 6th man and a good rebounder, but unfortunately Joe will be remembered for two things in the NBA: 1.) his draft status and 2.) the whole scandal involving Minnesota losing all their draft picks for the next millennium for him.
7. Sharone Wright (1994, #6, Philadelphia) - Sharone Wright was believed to be the next Charles Barkley in Philadelphia, a player of similar stature that rebounded and hustled for his team like a madman. However, Wright was anything but a madman, as he played four lackluster NBA seasons, two with Philly and two with the expansion Toronto Raptors. Wright averaged nearly 10 ppg and 5 rpg in his career, but he was gone after 1997 and never seen since. There have been rumors that him and Oliver Miller went on a National Buffet Tour, but I cannot confirm that rumor.
6. Frederic Weis (1999, #15, New York) - Oh my lord, please don't get me started. Forget it, I'm already going. Interim GM Ed Tapscott, who had just taken over in New York, was looking for the next big man in the NBA. Ron Artest, a player that all New Yorkers dreamed would one day be a Knick, was still on the board when the Knicks selected #15 in the draft. The Knicks had just made the NBA Finals with a mediocre #8 seed team, and with the decent draft pick they had received, they were looking for the player that would keep them in contention. Artest, after a solid career at St. John's, was still on the board at #15, where the Knicks had not expected him to be sitting around. As David Stern made the announcement, ''with the 15th pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks select, Frederic Weis, out of France.'' With all the boos overheard in the Garden, you would've thought the New York Rangers were playing. Needless to say, Frederic Weis never played a game in the NBA, while Ron Artest is now a near all-star with the Indiana Pacers. Most Knick fans now wonder what could've been, while Tony Parker recently made the statement that Weis isn't even good enough to play in the NBA. Meanwhile, the Knicks are now a lottery team, a far cry from the NBA Finals team from 4 years ago.
5. Kwame Brown (2001, #1, Washington) - Perhaps the only player that'll be remembered from Michael Jordan's tenure as Wizards General Manager, Kwame Brown was groomed to become the next ''straight outta high school'' player to become an NBA star. However, something went wrong around the time that Jordan decided to be Superwizard and play again. Jordan pushed Brown to the limit, a limit that the young 18-year-old from Glynn Academy in Virginia didn't even want to look towards. Kwame had an incredibly horrible rookie season for a #1 pick, perhaps the worst since Larue Martin in the '72-'73 campaign. Brown showed signs of improvement on Opening Night 2002 against the Raptors with a near double-double, but he's gone back to the same ways of his rookie season. Perhaps with Jordan gone now, Brown could become a reliable 15/10 guy in the NBA without any problem, but for now, he has to be one of the worst #1 picks of all-time, along the lines of, you guessed it, Larue Martin. Prove me wrong Kwame, prove me wrong.
4. Eric Montross (1994, #9, Boston) - Maybe Boston was expecting Robert Parish? Eric Montross had a stellar career at North Carolina, as he played with such players as Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse. Montross was selected by Boston, a team desperately looking for an answer after the death of Reggie Lewis and the death of their franchise as a whole after the glory of the 1980s. Montross was believed to be the answer in the middle for the Celtics, but he hasn't been the answer for any team in his 9 years in the NBA. He's played for 4 NBA teams, averaging 4.5 ppg and 4.6 ppg during his career. He now sits on the bench in Toronto, wondering what went wrong with a career that started at a prestigious university and has ended on Toronto's bench.
3. Bobby Hurley (1993, #7, Sacramento) - Bobby Hurley was a great point-guard, a player that led Duke to two national titles during the early 1990's. Hurley was known as a good kid that had an incredible basketball IQ and a good feel for the game. However, something went wrong when he landed in Sacramento, a team that achieved no success in its first 8 seasons in the NBA. Hurley was being placed on a team with such talented players as Mitch Richmond, Wayman Tisdale, Lionel Simmons, and Spud Webb, and with Hurley at the helm, this team seemed destined for a winning season. However, Hurley was not the answer in Sacramento, as he averaged 7 points and 6 assists in his rookie season but never was the same afterwards. Hurley spent four years in Sacramento, averaging 4 ppg and 3 apg, before a car accident nearly killed him prior to the 1997 season and ended his lackluster NBA career. Hurley had a horrible NBA career and an even worse end to his career, showing that some players just can never catch a break and establish themselves in the NBA.
2. Robert Traylor (1998, #6, Milwaukee) - I will admit to you all, I was a huge Robert Traylor fan when he was at Michigan. ''The Tractor'' had enough power in his 6'7'', 280-pound frame that he was able to bully his way right to the basket, no matter who was in front of him. After a stellar career with the Wolverines in which he just overpowered most of his opponents, Traylor seemed destined to go right into the NBA and achieve the same success against the bigger bodies of the NBA. Traylor was originally selected by the Dallas Mavericks, a team that had won 36 games once in 8 seasons, which must've pleased Dallas fans. However, Don Nelson, the cuckoo bastard that he is, decided to trade Traylor to Milwaukee in exchange for a young, lanky forward named Dirk Nowitzki. Who got the better of that deal, you ask? Traylor has averaged 4.7 ppg and 3.5 rpg in his five seasons in the NBA, as he has been on 3 different teams. Nowitzki is now a perennial all-star two years running and an over 20-ppg scorer. Perhaps one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history, Traylor can now be seen on New Orleans' bench, drinking all the team's Gatorade. Nowitzki can be seen in the Western Conference Finals, scoring at will.
1. Shawn Bradley (1993, #2, Philadelphia) - When I was doing this list, I was looking for a clearcut #1 choice for the biggest NBA bust of the past decade. When I couldn't find one, I was thinking about players that seemed surefire and able to contribute automatically but didn't pan out the way the team imagined. Shawn Bradley was exactly the player I was looking for. After seeing what Manute Bol can do defensively with his size, Bradley was selected straight out of Brigham Young University. His college career showed that Bradley had the mixture of size and scoring ability needed to become an all-around force in the NBA, so someone foolishly took a shot on him. That someone was the Philadelphia 76ers, a team looking to rid themselves of their old, run-of-the-mill players and establish a system of talented young players. When Charles Barkley left for Phoenix during that offseason, Philly was looking for an answer, and that answer was Bradley. They believed his size was unheralded, and he would immediately come in as an uncontrollable force. Since Philly's best player in Bradley's rookie year was Clarence Weatherspoon, Bradley averaged 10 ppg and 6 rpg, showing his incredible potential. Bradley spent another year in Philly before the team switched to a smaller team with the likes of Jeff Malone and Jerry Stackhouse. Bradley was traded to the New Jersey Nets, where he averaged 12/8 for two decent but losing seasons. Bradley has now spent six lackluster seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, where he has been unable to become the star people once expected him to become. Bradley's career numbers: 9.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 3 bpg. Not bad numbers for an all-out bust, but considering that Bradley has basically become a joke in the NBA, a player that all NBAers attempt to posterize on a night-in, night-out basis, it is a sad occurrence that this guy was once considered a future star.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Olivier Saint-Jean (1997, #11, Sacramento, aka Tariq Abdul-Wahad)
Donyell Marshall (1994, #4, Minnesota)
Cherokee Parks (1995, #12, Minnesota)
Jerome Moiso (2000, #11, Boston)
Dontae Jones (1996, #21, New York)
Khalid Reeves (1994, #12, Miami)
Terry Dehere (1993, #13, LA Clippers)
Scott Haskin (1993, #14, Indiana)
DeSagana Diop (2001, #8, Cleveland)
Todd Fuller (1996, #11, Golden State)
Chris Anstey (1997, #18, Portland)
7. Sharone Wright (1994, #6, Philadelphia) - Sharone Wright was believed to be the next Charles Barkley in Philadelphia, a player of similar stature that rebounded and hustled for his team like a madman. However, Wright was anything but a madman, as he played four lackluster NBA seasons, two with Philly and two with the expansion Toronto Raptors. Wright averaged nearly 10 ppg and 5 rpg in his career, but he was gone after 1997 and never seen since. There have been rumors that him and Oliver Miller went on a National Buffet Tour, but I cannot confirm that rumor.
6. Frederic Weis (1999, #15, New York) - Oh my lord, please don't get me started. Forget it, I'm already going. Interim GM Ed Tapscott, who had just taken over in New York, was looking for the next big man in the NBA. Ron Artest, a player that all New Yorkers dreamed would one day be a Knick, was still on the board when the Knicks selected #15 in the draft. The Knicks had just made the NBA Finals with a mediocre #8 seed team, and with the decent draft pick they had received, they were looking for the player that would keep them in contention. Artest, after a solid career at St. John's, was still on the board at #15, where the Knicks had not expected him to be sitting around. As David Stern made the announcement, ''with the 15th pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks select, Frederic Weis, out of France.'' With all the boos overheard in the Garden, you would've thought the New York Rangers were playing. Needless to say, Frederic Weis never played a game in the NBA, while Ron Artest is now a near all-star with the Indiana Pacers. Most Knick fans now wonder what could've been, while Tony Parker recently made the statement that Weis isn't even good enough to play in the NBA. Meanwhile, the Knicks are now a lottery team, a far cry from the NBA Finals team from 4 years ago.
5. Kwame Brown (2001, #1, Washington) - Perhaps the only player that'll be remembered from Michael Jordan's tenure as Wizards General Manager, Kwame Brown was groomed to become the next ''straight outta high school'' player to become an NBA star. However, something went wrong around the time that Jordan decided to be Superwizard and play again. Jordan pushed Brown to the limit, a limit that the young 18-year-old from Glynn Academy in Virginia didn't even want to look towards. Kwame had an incredibly horrible rookie season for a #1 pick, perhaps the worst since Larue Martin in the '72-'73 campaign. Brown showed signs of improvement on Opening Night 2002 against the Raptors with a near double-double, but he's gone back to the same ways of his rookie season. Perhaps with Jordan gone now, Brown could become a reliable 15/10 guy in the NBA without any problem, but for now, he has to be one of the worst #1 picks of all-time, along the lines of, you guessed it, Larue Martin. Prove me wrong Kwame, prove me wrong.
4. Eric Montross (1994, #9, Boston) - Maybe Boston was expecting Robert Parish? Eric Montross had a stellar career at North Carolina, as he played with such players as Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse. Montross was selected by Boston, a team desperately looking for an answer after the death of Reggie Lewis and the death of their franchise as a whole after the glory of the 1980s. Montross was believed to be the answer in the middle for the Celtics, but he hasn't been the answer for any team in his 9 years in the NBA. He's played for 4 NBA teams, averaging 4.5 ppg and 4.6 ppg during his career. He now sits on the bench in Toronto, wondering what went wrong with a career that started at a prestigious university and has ended on Toronto's bench.
3. Bobby Hurley (1993, #7, Sacramento) - Bobby Hurley was a great point-guard, a player that led Duke to two national titles during the early 1990's. Hurley was known as a good kid that had an incredible basketball IQ and a good feel for the game. However, something went wrong when he landed in Sacramento, a team that achieved no success in its first 8 seasons in the NBA. Hurley was being placed on a team with such talented players as Mitch Richmond, Wayman Tisdale, Lionel Simmons, and Spud Webb, and with Hurley at the helm, this team seemed destined for a winning season. However, Hurley was not the answer in Sacramento, as he averaged 7 points and 6 assists in his rookie season but never was the same afterwards. Hurley spent four years in Sacramento, averaging 4 ppg and 3 apg, before a car accident nearly killed him prior to the 1997 season and ended his lackluster NBA career. Hurley had a horrible NBA career and an even worse end to his career, showing that some players just can never catch a break and establish themselves in the NBA.
2. Robert Traylor (1998, #6, Milwaukee) - I will admit to you all, I was a huge Robert Traylor fan when he was at Michigan. ''The Tractor'' had enough power in his 6'7'', 280-pound frame that he was able to bully his way right to the basket, no matter who was in front of him. After a stellar career with the Wolverines in which he just overpowered most of his opponents, Traylor seemed destined to go right into the NBA and achieve the same success against the bigger bodies of the NBA. Traylor was originally selected by the Dallas Mavericks, a team that had won 36 games once in 8 seasons, which must've pleased Dallas fans. However, Don Nelson, the cuckoo bastard that he is, decided to trade Traylor to Milwaukee in exchange for a young, lanky forward named Dirk Nowitzki. Who got the better of that deal, you ask? Traylor has averaged 4.7 ppg and 3.5 rpg in his five seasons in the NBA, as he has been on 3 different teams. Nowitzki is now a perennial all-star two years running and an over 20-ppg scorer. Perhaps one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history, Traylor can now be seen on New Orleans' bench, drinking all the team's Gatorade. Nowitzki can be seen in the Western Conference Finals, scoring at will.
1. Shawn Bradley (1993, #2, Philadelphia) - When I was doing this list, I was looking for a clearcut #1 choice for the biggest NBA bust of the past decade. When I couldn't find one, I was thinking about players that seemed surefire and able to contribute automatically but didn't pan out the way the team imagined. Shawn Bradley was exactly the player I was looking for. After seeing what Manute Bol can do defensively with his size, Bradley was selected straight out of Brigham Young University. His college career showed that Bradley had the mixture of size and scoring ability needed to become an all-around force in the NBA, so someone foolishly took a shot on him. That someone was the Philadelphia 76ers, a team looking to rid themselves of their old, run-of-the-mill players and establish a system of talented young players. When Charles Barkley left for Phoenix during that offseason, Philly was looking for an answer, and that answer was Bradley. They believed his size was unheralded, and he would immediately come in as an uncontrollable force. Since Philly's best player in Bradley's rookie year was Clarence Weatherspoon, Bradley averaged 10 ppg and 6 rpg, showing his incredible potential. Bradley spent another year in Philly before the team switched to a smaller team with the likes of Jeff Malone and Jerry Stackhouse. Bradley was traded to the New Jersey Nets, where he averaged 12/8 for two decent but losing seasons. Bradley has now spent six lackluster seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, where he has been unable to become the star people once expected him to become. Bradley's career numbers: 9.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 3 bpg. Not bad numbers for an all-out bust, but considering that Bradley has basically become a joke in the NBA, a player that all NBAers attempt to posterize on a night-in, night-out basis, it is a sad occurrence that this guy was once considered a future star.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Olivier Saint-Jean (1997, #11, Sacramento, aka Tariq Abdul-Wahad)
Donyell Marshall (1994, #4, Minnesota)
Cherokee Parks (1995, #12, Minnesota)
Jerome Moiso (2000, #11, Boston)
Dontae Jones (1996, #21, New York)
Khalid Reeves (1994, #12, Miami)
Terry Dehere (1993, #13, LA Clippers)
Scott Haskin (1993, #14, Indiana)
DeSagana Diop (2001, #8, Cleveland)
Todd Fuller (1996, #11, Golden State)
Chris Anstey (1997, #18, Portland)
