this post was submitted on 21 Oct 2023
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I’m a fairly new NBA fan so obviously I didn’t follow the league when these guys got drafted. But I’ve done reading up on it and Anthony Bennett, Greg Oden, and Darko Milicic are the three that probably come most readily to mind when I think about this question.

My question is who are some of the sneaky draft busts? The guys you consider huge busts that don’t really get talked about as much when this question comes up. I’d love to hear about some of those guys and learn some more about NBA history.

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[–] n0th1ng10@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Otto porter Jr, was the third pick in a draft with Oladipo Cj Gianni’s.

That may have been the worst top five of all time. Oladipo is the best one, and he really only had one good season.

Giannis is the only sure fire Hall of Famer in that entire draft. Rudy Gobert seems the next most likely.

[–] CaptainBananafishJr@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

That draft was the biggest crapshoot in recent memory though.

[–] whtge8@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

To be fair Oladipo went #2… but yeah it was a shit draft.

[–] RRJC10@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Oladipo went in front of him so you can’t really count him.

[–] Consistent_Recipe850@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] Tigercat92@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Was waiting for this. r/NBA never fails

[–] Wild-Apricot-9161@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] IHateYouKids@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago
[–] Certified_Waste_Man@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (5 children)
[–] PossibleLocation3626@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I guess so, he’s had a decent career but never lived up to being a top five pick. If he had gone like 25-30 that would be much more reasonable for the kind of career he’s had.

[–] WernerHerzog69420@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

You’re thinking of the draft as too much of a science. It’s a gamble.

[–] shanmustafa@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

no way, Rubio was a good starting point guard for like a decade, his teams have always been better with him on the court

[–] TokyoUmbrella@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

I mean, he had a horrific injury in a really promising rookie season. Could he have had a better career? Sure. But he’s been a team leader everywhere he’s gone.

[–] SCalifornia831@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No but Jonny Flynn sure does

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[–] Xsy@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

I can't think of any scenario in which Rubio can be considered a bust.

[–] srgntalpowell@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

LaRue Martin. Was picked right ahead of MVP Bob McAdoo as well, when everyone else in basketball assumed McAdoo was a sure thing number one pick

[–] PossibleLocation3626@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Man, the Timberwolves have no luck in the draft. Other than Kevin Garnett their high draft picks always flame out. Even though KAT and Edwards have looked good, it looks like they’re gonna struggle to get anywhere in the playoffs with them.

[–] saltface14@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No luck? I think it’s mostly incompetence and not luck that’s the issue. Let’s not forget they drafted TWO point guards 5th and 6th overall in 2009 when Steph Curry went 7th.

[–] NedStarx11@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yup. Jonny Flynn should be in this thread forsure

[–] yarn_install@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

He had a very promising rookie year, but never recovered from his hip injury. Pretty sad.

[–] nikop@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Kmart was pretty shit for a 1st overall pick but that draft was terrible.

[–] cat_piss_lint_trap@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Yeah, I mean, say that the Nets have amazing clairvoyance and actually pick the best player from that draft, Michael Redd. He'd probably get the same assessment: "Definitely not the worst of his class, but not what you hope for out of a #1 pick."

[–] sanfranchristo@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Nah, only real basketball people know…

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[–] shanmustafa@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Okafor, Mudiay, Hezonja, Bender, Chriss, Maker, Shabazz Muhammad, Stauskas, Nonleh, Thomas Robinson

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[–] JoJonesy@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (9 children)

I feel like Thabeet and Olowokandi get kind of forgotten about these days

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[–] traddy91@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (9 children)

Jarrett Culver. 6th overall pick that was in the G league within 3 seasons

[–] Puzzleheaded_Fox4684@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (17 children)

The number of athletic two way wings that never pan out is scary. All because Kawhi turned out the way he did, guys like Culver, Knox, and Reddish are drafted highly. Even ones that are still in the league aren't even close to Kawhi level, like Patrick Williams, Zaire Williams, Josh Green.

[–] K1NG2L4Y3R@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Josh Jackson, Justice Winslow, Stanley Johnson, Nasir Little are just a few

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[–] chasehimdown@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

am i missing something ? i kno Cam Reddish ain't a PREMIER player but is he not at least solid ? genuinely curious btw, haven't really watched him ball

[–] poopstainmclean@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

no, Cam isn't a solid player. he's on a 2 year/4m contract in LA which is a pay cut from his rookie deal. he's 24 and the Blazers didn't try to keep him around even though they're in a full rebuild.

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[–] bb1432@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (8 children)

The #4 pick in 2017, Josh Jackson. Projected ahead of Tatum in a lot of mocks and big boards. Taken before Fox, Lauri, Donovan Mitchell, Bam, and many others.

[–] zbergwoopwoop@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Maybe I'm just close to it as a Suns fan, but I feel like it gets talked about a decent amount. There's just a ton of bad suns picks in that Era. Alex Len, marquis Chriss, dragan bender. I feel like any of those get less talk than Josh. The Josh pick almost seems to get a pass just because he's a shitty person.

[–] PM_FORBUTTSTUFF@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

The Suns blowing the #4 overall pick felt lukewarm an annual tradition for a while

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[–] throwawaythursday99@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (13 children)

Jahlil Okafor. Michael Beasley wasn't a major bust per se but he just loved weed more than basketball.

[–] ewest@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Yeah, Okafor is a good call.

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[–] Trevhaar@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I don’t hear enough about Thomas Robinson being drafted over Dame Lillard

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[–] SwaggyMcDoogle@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Put some respect in Oden, that was a travesty

[–] Thunderhorse74@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Mario Hezonja. Taken #5, leaving Booker, Myles Turner, Oubre, Rozier, Portis, Looney, and more on the board.

Sigh, I'll throw this out before someone else does: Joshua Primo.

[–] ewest@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Woof you’re right. Hezonja was terrible. I wish someone had told Neil Olshey

[–] -KFBR392@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry, taken 2nd and 4th by the Chicago Bulls. They were super high on these two high school phenoms hoping they would lead them back to the playoffs for the first time since MJ left.

Career wise Chandler was not seen as a bust, but for the Bulls they were both busts. Chandler was basically given away, but at least they got a good trade for Curry because the Knicks (who else) overpaid for him

[–] baconcheeseburgarian@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)
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[–] TrippieReddXO@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Scottie barns

[–] KSchmuckley@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Danny Ferry

[–] rocket_beer@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

It’s Thabeet.

Did he even outplay his rookie contract??

[–] PuzzleArcade@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Whenever Greg Oden’s name comes up in these conversations I feel the need to once again make the case that any player whose career was destroyed by injury should not be categorized as a bust, but rather a “what if”. Oden was a monster even as a rookie when he actually played but his body broke down.

[–] 2020IsANightmare@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (3 children)

The 2009 Wolves.

I feel like the focus has always been on them passing on Steph even though they had the #5 and #6 overall picks despite drafting PGs with the #5 and #6 pick.

Steph still went #7 overall. Higher than Joker or Giannis or Kobe or Kawhi went. Sometimes talent is just missed.

So, retroactively, of course passing on Steph was stupid.

But, in real-time, WHAT THE FUCK WAS MINNESOTA DOING?!?!?

They drafted a 6'2 PG. #5 overall. Solves a position for a bad team. I'd get any team then not wanting to draft Steph at that point (a tiny PG that plays the same position they just spent the #5 overall pick on.) Again, not talking retroactively. At that time, if MIN thought Rubio was a better prospect than Steph, then the pick made sense.

What does Minnesota do next? SELECT A 6'0 PG!!!!!!!!

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[–] BenSimmonsROTY@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Jabari Parker - #2 in 2014 drafted ahead of Embiid, Randle, Smart, Lavine, etc. Obviously Jokic too at 41

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist - #2 in 2012 ahead of Lillard, Draymond, Beal, Middleton

Enes Kanter - #3 in 2011 ahead of Jimmy, Kawhi, Klay, Kemba

[–] UnsungHerro@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Ricky Rubio

[–] Oshie19@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Dragan Bender

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