Biggest NBA Draft Bust of All Time

1.

Michael Olowokandi

By: beej     18 votes

The Clippers tend not to draft well. With a pretty good 1998 draft class, they really shouldn't have bombed, but boy did they... The "Kandi Man" was selected first overall, in front of Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki, Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison and Mike Bibby.

Add a Comment

2.

Kwame Brown

By: beej     22 votes

In 2001, the Wizards were looking to start over and Kwame Brown was to be the face of the franchise. Sadly, it was an ugly, ugly face. Averaging 7.5 points and 5.7 boards a game for a career, Brown was a huge bust. It's astonishing that the Wizards were able to deal him to Los Angeles for Caron Butler, who went on to play make back to back All-Star appearances in 2007 and 2008.

Add a Comment

3.

LaRue Martin

By: beej     17 votes

If you're the number one pick in the draft, you should really stay in the league longer than four seasons. You should probably average more than 5 points a game. It could be argued that Bob McAdoo (picked second) or Julius Erving (picked twelfth) would have been better picks in 1972. Perhaps...

Add a Comment

4.

Sam Bowie

By: beej     20 votes

Taken number two overall in 1984 by the Blazers, Bowie had an okay career. But what makes a bad pick a bad pick in the NBA isn't necessarily how good or bad you were, but how good or bad everyone around you in that draft was. And in the Blazers defense, they already had Clyde Drexler, so the pick made sense at the time. Unfortunately for Sam Bowie, and the Blazers, the team passed on guys like Charles Barkley, John Stockton, and some guy who used to wear 23 in Chicago.

Add a Comment

5.

Rick Robey

By: beej     15 votes

How does one average less than 15 points and 8 rebounds a game in college and still get drafted in the top three? It's still a mystery thirty years later, but in 1978, the Pacers made Robey a top three selection. In hindsight, they probably shouldn't have let a hometown kid from Indiana State fall to the Celtics at pick six. Larry Bird probably would have been a better selection.

Add a Comment

6.

Dennis Hopson

By: beej     15 votes

Hopson was picked third in the 1987 draft and actually went on to have a decent career. But it wasn't the career of a Scottie Pippen, Kevin Johnson or Reggie Miller -- all picked after him.

Add a Comment

7.

Shawn Bradley

By: beej     17 votes

It's tough to call a guy who lasted 12 years a bust. At 7'5", Bradley was supposed to be a giant who could run the floor. Unfortunately he was just a giant. Despite his lack of athleticism, size can help a whole lot in the NBA, and he sure had that. However, the Sixers probably wish they would have sent the card in with Penny Hardaway or Jamal Mashburn's name instead.

Add a Comment

8.

Jonathan Bender

By: beej     18 votes

Perhaps 13 teams missing on Kobe Bryant three years earlier played a role in this 1999 selection, but Bender was undoubtedly a mistake. Selected fifth overall by the Raptors and promptly dealt to the Pacers, Bender was selected in front of talents like Shawn Marion, Richard Hamilton, and Corey Maggette.

Add a Comment

9.

Ed O'Bannon

By: beej     16 votes

One could argue that Joe Smith was a bad pick at number one overall, considering the talent in the 1995 draft class. I would argue that 13 years later, he's still in the league. By 1997, Ed O'Bannon wasn't. Not good for a top ten pick. Michael Finley or Brent Barry would have been more serviceable picks.

Add a Comment

10.

Darko Milicic

By: beej     19 votes

You knew he was coming. The 2003 draft was among the best in history, and certainly in recent memory. But pick number two was not one of the next big stars in the NBA. Darko was selected in front of Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, David West and Josh Howard, among others.

Add a Comment

11.

Len Bias

By: Unwelcomeguest     12 votes

Len Bias suffered a fatal cardiac arrhythmia that resulted from a cocaine overdose less than 48 hours after being selected by the Boston Celtics in the 1986 NBA Draft. Bias was the second player selected in the draft, after Brad Daugherty of the Cleveland Cavaliers (Wikipedia.org)

Add a Comment