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

#2 or #3 Picks since we're including the obvious #1:

  • James Wiseman
  • Marvin Bagley III
  • Jahlil Okafor
  • Jabari Parker
  • Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
  • Derrick Williams
  • Hasheem Thabeet
  • Adam Morrison
  • Stromile Swift
  • Dennis Hopson
  • Chris Washburn
[–] SometimesIComplain@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Does Trey Burke count? Was the 9th pick in 2013, and has a whopping 50.0% career true shooting with averages of 9.5/2/3. Had a couple half-respectable seasons off the bench from 2017-2021, but is out of the league now.

As a Jazz fan the other one that comes to mind is Enes Kanter/Freedom who was the 3rd pick in 2011, but I'm not sure how "sneaky" of a bust he is.

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

Papagiannis

[–] __init__m8@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

I don't consider Oden a bust. Dude was great when he could stay on the court.

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

Adam Morrison. Total bust

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

When factoring busts you have to rank how high the pick was vs who was drafted after them as well. Like saying a number 6 pick is a bust may be true but it’s the 6th pick and if no all-stars were drafted after him then it’s really not that much of a bust.

Now guys like Josh Jackson, picked at #4, with a few all stars and really borderline all stars drafted after him is a big bust.

Jahlil Okafor is a pretty decent bust at #3 with decent guys like Porzingis, Turner, and Booker all drafted in the lottery after him. I feel like he’s sort of just brushed over because the Sixers burned so many picks.

Hate to say it because of injuries but Jabari Parker. #2 in the draft and later picks were Embiid, Gordon, Smart, Randle, and Lavine in the lottery.

Then there’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Definitely did not live up to the hype of a second pick and virtually never mentioned in these conversations.

There’s lots of busts out there that we don’t talk about. Man those were easy to find and I have only gone back like 10 years.

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

Can Thon Maker count? He was the 10th pick but his Ballislife mixtapes were nasty everyone I grew up with thought he was going to tear up the league

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[–] Sad_Bathroom1448@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

We have to consider Jabari Parker a bust, right?

I think we can put Jay Williams on the list too. I'm mostly not counting injury situations, but Williams was looking like a bust that first year beforehand. The injury kinda let him off the hook.

And while I wouldn't call Chris Washburn "sneaky", it does feel like he gets forgotten about more often as the NBA fan base gets younger and further removed from the 80's.

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

I thought Kris Dunn was gonna be a star

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

I hate calling oden a bust. He was a good player with a high ceiling. You would’ve been one of the most dominant centers of the 2010s. Hard to say bust when it’s just injuries.

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

Jahlil Okafor by far. Went third but everyone thought he’d be so good. For a while people talked about him going ahead of KAT in that draft.

[–] ActivBowser9177@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Michael Olowokandi, Andrea Bargnani, Derrick Williams, and Evan Turner are several massive draft busts that aren't receiving enough attention right now.

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

This is a somewhat unfair question. Take the top 10 picks in the past decade, look how many are even on the bench. “Draft busts” don’t really exist, it’s made up term due to media hyping players and put’s expectations on them. Talk to most scouts and GMs and they will tell you the chances any pick ends up becoming a starter is pretty slim. I can think of maybe 5 examples of actual busts, but most do what is expected. Play a few games, get demoted to G league. And become free agents and leave the nba

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

It's another sad injury case, but I can't remember the last time anyone mentioned Pervis Ellison in these conversations

[–] b0nestorm@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

For my own team:

Mario Hezonja looked like a really solid scoring option with some potential on the defensive end. Ended up being… meh.

And of course, Fran Vazquez.

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

Thon Maker especially when it was right before Sabonis

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

I’ll mention a couple of #4 overall picks from the late 1970s/early 1980s - Greg Kelser and Bill Garnett

[–] StarScourge7@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Damn everybody hit the nail on the head with these answers! Got almost nothing to contribute now. Are we counting due to injuries as well? Cause Jay Williams would be on the list, and Evan turner comes to mind just in general, marvin williams, emeka okafor, Kwame brown, josh childress, eddy curry, most had ok somewhat long careers but none worth the top 5 or 6 picks they were, just to name a few older 1s.

Jonny Flynn was take at 6th overall. One pick before Steph Curry

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

Wesley Johnson

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

I really thought Kwame Brown was going to amazing. I was so wrong. I he somehow spent 12 seasons in the NBA and made over $63mil in contracts, which is its own success, but a bust in production on the court.

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

Joe Smith was drafted number one over Kevin Garnett. He averaged 10 and 6 for his career.

[–] WeakComplaint4926@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

2011 6th pick Jan vesely. Only 162 games avg 3.5, 3.6, .6. Was a pretty deep draft. Ernie was terrible.

[–] BrewtusMaximus1@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)
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[–] MountainPK@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Dante Exum for Utah. Drafted 5th overall, hyped as the next Kobe. Dude couldn’t find the court. When he did play he was wildly out of control and would get injured constantly. His last year he was unceremoniously played off the practice court by an undrafted g-leaguer.

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

Thabeet. Everyone clowns on the Wolves for drafting Rubio and Flynn over Curry, but at least Rubio is still in the league and Flynn had a devastating injury.

Thabeet was the same year and he was taken 2nd overall over Harden, Curry, Tyreek Evans, DeRozen and Jrue Holiday.

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