Every year before the NBA draft, general managers are compiling their information to make the best decision possible, while hoping they can avoid a major NBA draft bust that will haunt them.
Even though hindsight is 20/20, there are some NBA draft picks that have to make you scratch your head. Here are the Top Ten NBA draft busts in the history of the game.
10. Dennis Hopson (1987 NBA Draft) During the 1987 NBA draft, the New Jersey Nets used their third selection on Hopson, a 6’5″ forward out of Ohio State. Hopson had a relatively short career in the NBA, lasting five years while he averaged 10.9 points 2.8 rebounds per game
What helped give Hopson the honor of being one of the top NBA draft busts is the two future NBA Hall of Fame players who were selected after him. They were Scottie Pippen, who was selected fifth and Reggie Miller, who was taken with the eleventh pick in the draft.
9. Nikoloz Tskitishvii (2002 NBA Draft) The Denver Nuggets were looking for an athletic power forward in the 2002 NBA draft and decided to use their fifth overall selection on Tskitishvii.
Tskitishvii is the perfect example of a workout warrior as he amazed scouts and team owners with his athletic ability prior to the draft. But when it came time to showing what he could do on the hardwood, Tskitishvii came up short. The Denver Nuggets could have used their draft pick to select players like Amar’e Stoudemire or Caron Butler and they would have avoided selecting this NBA draft bust.
8. Marcus Fizer (2000 NBA Draft) When the Chicago Bulls selected Marcus Fizer with the fourth overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft, everyone was left scratching their heads. The Bulls already had a power forward in the form of Elton Brand. To make matters worse, Fizer only played in 35 NBA games during his short career and averaged 9.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
Instead of selecting this top NBA draft bust, the Bulls would have been better if they selected players like Michael Redd, Jamaal Magloire, or Hedo Turkoglu. To be fair to Fizer, just about the entire 2000 NBA draft should be labeled as a bust for the league.
7. Chris Washburn (1986 NBA Draft) Though there are several players from the 1986 NBA draft, who could have made this list, in the end the one deemed worthy was the Golden State Warriors selection of Washburn. Selected third over all in the draft, Washburn, the 6’11″ center only played two seasons in the NBA where he averaged 2.4 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.
Eventually Washburn would be banned from the NBA in 1989 after three failed drug tests in three years. The Warriors would have been better off selecting a player like John Salley or Dennis Rodman, who went on to have solid NBA careers rather than this NBA Draft bust.
6. Jonathan Bender (1999 NBA Draft) The Toronto Raptors opted to use the fifth overall selection from the 1999 NBA draft on a high school star, Bender. The Raptors turned around and traded Bender to the Indiana Pacers for a veteran player, Antonio Davis. The Pacers hoped they were getting a 7′ forward who was going to change the game and bring a championship to their franchise.
Instead, they had a top NBA draft bust, which averaged 5.6 points 2.2 rebounds per game during his NBA career. Had the Pacers not been so enamored with Bender, they could have used their draft selection on players like Wally Szczerbiak, Shawn Marion, or Ron Artest.
5. Shawn Bradley (1993 NBA Draft) During the 1993 NBA draft, the Philadelphia 76ers had the second overall selection and fell head over heels for Bradley, the 7’6″ center out of BYU. The 76ers felt they had found a franchise player who could score, play standout defense and be able to run the floor.
In reality they found a lightweight player who had a difficult time against the more dominant centers and power forwards. When Bradley retired from the game, he had a career average of 8.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. Had the 76ers not fallen in love with this seven footer, they could have drafted players like Penny Hardaway or Jamal Mashburn.
4. Kwame Brown (2001 NBA Draft) Everyone with the Washington Wizards, including Michael Jordan, thought they had the next best thing when they selected high school prospect Kwame Brown in the 2001 NBA draft. The 6’11′ center was suppose to give the Wizards a dominant inside presence. Instead the Wizards had a player who has averaged 7.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game during his career.
Brown has not found much success outside of Washington while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, and now Detroit Pistons. What makes the selection of Brown one of the top NBA draft busts is the simple fact that he was the first overall selection of the 2001 NBA draft.
3. Same Bowie (1984 NBA Draft) The Portland Trailblazers made the decision to use their selection to pick Sam Bowie, a player who met their needs rather than selecting the players with the most talent. As a result of taking Bowie with their second pick, the Trailblazers missed out on Hall of Fame players like Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley.
Bowie finished his career with 10.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game and was never named to the NBA All-Star team. The only thing that has kept this pick lower in the list of the top NBA draft busts is the Trailblazers already had their star in the form of Clyde Drexler.
2. Kenny Green (1985 NBA Draft) When the Washington Bullets decided to use their twelfth overall pick on the 6’11″ forward, Kenny Green, out of Wake Forest, the team felt they had a star in the making. Instead they wound up with a dud.
During the two seasons he played in the NBA, he averaged 4.4 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. To this day, those involved in the decision, are still kicking themselves for selecting this NBA draft bust instead of another power forward, Karl Malone, who was selected the very next pick by the Utah Jazz.
1. Darko Milicic (2003 NBA Draft) When the Detroit Pistons had the second overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft, there were a variety of players they could have chosen from. General manager, Joe Dumars, decided they best selection for the future of the Pistons was the Serbian forward/center Milicic. During his time with the Pistons, Milicic he averaged 1.5 points and 1.2 rebounds per game.
Milicic has started to turn things around once he left the team but he has yet to develop into a steady NBA player. What makes this the top NBA draft bust is the Pistons passed on NBA All-star players like Carmello Anthony, Dwayne Wade, or Chris Bosh.
I know all about Darko. I’ve been hoping Memphis could find somebody to take him off our hands. At least this coming season will be the final year of a 3-year, $21 million deal.
Bowie at #3? How can he not be #1 when Jordan AND Barkley were picked after him.
I didn’t write the post but I tend to agree. Milicic has been a total bust and I admit my bias because he plays in Memphis and I’ve seen his complete ineffectiveness for two seasons.
Darko continues to haunt my Pistons. It left a big hole in the team for the last few years. The strategy was for him or Memo Okur to be the new big man allowing Rasheed to play power forward.
That didn’t work out too well in Detroit and it certainly hasn’t helped in Memphis. The Grizzlies have enough draft picks to get someone that will help Gasol in the middle and allow their young core to operate. I have a feeling Milicic will be seeing a lot of the bench in the coming season.
Henry – For the position on Bowie, I moved him around on this list a couple of times, until I settle at # 3. One of the reasons was Bowie was listed below Milicic is the career numbers. Yes Bowie was selected over two top 50 players of all time. But Portland’s reason for the selection was Bowie fit a need and by no means did they think he was the best player on the board. If the latter was true then Bowie would be at the top of the list. The problem with Milicic is Dumars thought he was the best player there. James is spot on as well.
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