<div class="quote_poster">Quoting starman85:</div><div class="quote_post">I wouldn't say that those are all bad picks that you listed. In retrospect, they all could have been used to get better players, but hindsight is 20/20. </div> But thats what makes them bad picks. Looking back.....thats how you determine if it was a bad pick or not. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Kandi - still developing, but already one of the top 5 centers in the leage </div> Top 5? Ming, O'Neal, Miller, Divac, and Ilgauskas are better. And players like Kurt Thomas, Magloire, Nesterovic, and Dampier could make solid cases for better C's. Kandi was the pick bec. at the time because he was a 7'0" center with potential. This pick was the start of the "drafting for potential" that we now see today. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Traylor - a disappointment, yes, but a reliable banger who gets boards and plays decent defense </div> Dissapointment is an understatement. He flat out was a horrible selection. 3.7 ppg and 3.1 rpg is not what you expect from a mid lottery pick. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Daniels - came out of a very weak draft class, and was considered the second best point guard after Billups(who was picked 3rd), and the Grizz needed a point guard after drafting big men with their 2 previous lotto picks </div> This one Ill concede. Weak draft classes mean players will be picked higher than they normally would have been. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> OBannon - toronto booed the raps for picking Damon over this guy at #7, since he was an amazingly athletic star at UCLA. he was amazingly athletic in the NBA too until injuries cut him down. he still had several SlamADaMonth's in Slam Magazine, one over Shawn Bradley. He just couldn't hack the NBA style </div> "He couldn't hack the NBA style." Thats what makes him a bad pick. Teams need to consider if a player can adjust to the level of ball at the pro level. O'Bannon couldn't. And thats what made him a wasted pick.
Trajan Langdan anyone? The Cavs drafted him 9th overall a few years back and he was out of the league shortly there after. If you needed someone to knock down a technical free throw, he was up for the task, but the rest of his game was nowhere near NBA caliber, let alone lottery pick territory. I remember shaking my head in disbelief when we drafted him.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting dexter:</div><div class="quote_post"> Also he has scored 28 points this season and he was a first round draft pick </div> I agree with all of your points, but he's scored only 5 points in his career. He's played 28 MINUTES overall... I still think Brown should give him a better chance to develop. The only way players can get better is through experience, and sitting on the bench isn't helping Darko.
Len Bias was a tragic draft pick, not a bad one. Darko Milicic is 18, to judge him right now is ludicrous. As for Kwame Brown, people were saying the exact same thing about Jermaine O'Neal in his third NBA season. In truth, there have been a ton of terrible draft picks over the last decade or so. With the ease in which GM's are easliy second-guessed, and hindsight being 20/20, it's hard to fault the teams completely for some of these picks. These are just draft choices that I personally feel turned out to be complete wastes: I'll list the biggest bust of each draft starting in '91 and break them down year-by-year through 2000. 1991 - #8 DEN - Mark Macon - SG : Mark was a tremendous college player at the University of Temple, but never panned out on the pro level. Mark posted decent rookie numbers of 10.5 ppg, 3.0 reb. and 2.3 apg., although he did shoot a paltry .375 from the field. Following his "fair" rookie campaign, it was downhill, fast. After his stats continued to decline, and injuries became nagging, Mark exited the NBA after the '98-99 season. Notable players chosen behind him: 11.Terrell Brandon, 24. Rick Fox, 45. Bobby Phills. 1992 - #16 LAC - Randy Woods - SG/PG : A high-scoring guard out of LaSalle, Woods played only 62 games for the Clippers and a total of 151 over the course of his brief NBA career. Notable players chosen behind him : 17. Doug Christie, 24. Latrell Sprewell, 29. P.J. Brown 1993 - #19 BOS - Acie Earl - PF : Acie was a strong inside presence in his college days at Iowa, though never played up to his potential on the NBA level. Notable players chosen behind him: 24. Sam Cassel, 28. Lucious Harris, 37. Nick Van Exel. 1994 - #6 PHI - Sharone Wright - PF/C : Easily one of the worst drafts in recent NBA history. Sharone was a domaniting force in the paint for Clemson in the '93-'94 season, but a complete bust with Philly. He collected modest career totals of 9.7 pts. and 5.0 rpg. in parts of five NBA seasons. Notable players chosen behind him: 8. Brian Grant, 10. Eddie Jones, 13. Jalen Rose, 26. Charlie Ward. 1995 - #8 POR - Shawn Respert - SG *later traded to MIL in deal for Gary Trent Respert, while maybe slightly less of a bust than Ed O'Bannon, takes the crown for '95. Shawn was a great shooter at Michigan State, finishing his college career at over 48% from the field. He averaged over 25 ppg in his senior year at MSU, which figured to make him a high-profile NBA scorer - never happened. His pro career in the league was obismal at best. Notable players chosen behind him: 10. Kurt Thomas, 15. Brent Barry, 18. Theo Ratliff, 21. Michael Finley, 43. Eric Snow. 1996 - #11 GS - Todd Fuller - C : Fuller was by far the worst pick of the '96 NBA draft lottery. Career averages over five seasons of : 3.7 pts and 3.0 rpg earn him that distinguished honor in my book. Notable players chosen behind him: 13. Kobe Bryant, 14. Peja Stojakovic, 15. Steve Nash, 17. Jermaine O'Neal, 20. Zydrunas Ilgauskas, 24. Derek Fisher, 44. Malik Rose. 1997 - #8 GS - Adonal Foyle - C : Another terrible draft outside the lottery. While Adonal is a great guy, he has to be the number one bust of the '97 draft based on his draft position. He's been a servicable NBA player throughout his 6 + seasons, but when you were the guy drafted one notch above Tracy McGrady and your career averages are 5 ppg. and 5 rpg. - you're the bust of the ball. Notable players chosen behind him: 9. Tracy McGrady, 23. Bobby Jackson 1998 - #6 DAL - Robert Traylor - PF : Dallas is not to be blamed for this pick, since it was Milwaukee's choice. The Bucks agreed to trade the draft rights to Dirk Nowitzki for Traylor later that day. The most disappointing big man since John "hot plate" Williams. Notable players chosen behind him: 7. Jason Williams, 8. Larry Hughes, 9. Dirk Nowitzki, 10. Paul Pierce, 11. Bonzi Wells, 13. Keon Clark, 15. Matt Harpring, 21. Ricky Davis, 32. Rashard Lewis, 41. Cuttino Mobley. 1999 - #15 NY - Frederic Weis - C : Who? Where is he now? Biggest bust because he's contributed absolutely ZERO on the NBA level. Though a tough choice with stiffs like Langdon and Radojevic right up there with him. Notable players chosen behind him: 16. Ron Artest, 18. James Posey, 20. Dion Glover, 22. Kenny Thomas, 23. Devean George, 24. Andrei Kirilenko. 2000 - #11 BOS - Jerome Moiso - PF/C : Jerome has been a terrible underachiever since joining the league in the '00 season. Slightly more of a bust than Joel Pryzbilla, Moiso has contributed next to nothing on the pro level and doesn't look to be around much longer. Notable players chosen behind him: 16. Hidayet Turkoglu, 17. Desmond Mason, 18. Quentin Richardson, 19. Jamaal Magloire, 43. Michael Redd. For now, in fairness, I will reserve judgement as for the classes of '01 - '03.
Joe Forte anyone? Drafted with the 9th pick, the Celtics could have had Tony Parker, Gilbert Arenas or Jamaal Tinsley to fill their point guard woes. A headcase.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting sunsfan1357:</div><div class="quote_post">Very nice research, OG. Depressing to see two straight Golden State picks on there.</div> Yea, it really is depressing. But everyone makes draft or trade mistakes, but even more depressing is the superstars that the Warriors could have had.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Sir Desmond:</div><div class="quote_post">Joe Forte anyone? Drafted with the 9th pick, the Celtics could have had Tony Parker, Gilbert Arenas or Jamaal Tinsley to fill their point guard woes. A headcase.</div> Yeah, Joe is probably the biggest bomb of that draft. I wanted to give the players from '01 - '03 a bit more time before making a judgement, but you are right Sir Dez, Forte is officially a draft <u>bust!</u> - and a headcase.
There is a difference between biggest disappointment and a bad draft pick. Like someone metioned earlier, in hindsight, you could have had someone better, but at the time, the pick seemed good. Kwame brown is a big disappointment but not a bad pick. At the time, scouts all over the league had him going #1. He was a no-brainer at the time. You can't hate on that pick, you would've done the same thing...you know what i'm saying? A bad draft pick is getting someone who is a reach for that pick, and ends up being unsuccessful. Anyways, my worst picks in recent years... Trajan Langdon - undersized, unathletic shooting guard, cool nickname tho (the alaskan Assasin) William Avery - I like Duke so don't call me a Duke-hater Juan Dixon - I'm gonna get some heat for this, I'm sure but I figured he was a second rounder (as well as scouts projected him to be so too) , Wiz traded Courtney Alexander for this pick. I'd rather have Alexander (if he wasn't injured rite now that is) Joseph Forte - I'm not an ACC hater either, just coincidence...This guy was terribly overrated, great mid-range shooter, but lacked size, quickness, athleticism and range...and it turns out he's a jerk too Mateen Cleaves - I loved this guy but come on, 14? What was Detroit smoking? I could go on some more but nah...this is the last 4 years or so
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Sir Desmond:</div><div class="quote_post">Joe Forte anyone? Drafted with the 9th pick, the Celtics could have had Tony Parker, Gilbert Arenas or Jamaal Tinsley to fill their point guard woes. A headcase.</div> He wasn't picked ninth, that would be Rodney White. He was in the mid twenties. How about Jay Williams he may never play again, if he does he won't be the same player.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AzBalla17:</div><div class="quote_post">He wasn't picked ninth, that would be Rodney White. He was in the mid twenties. How about Jay Williams he may never play again, if he does he won't be the same player.</div> No you're right, not sure what I was thinking when I posted that but he went 21st. But my point remains that they picked him over the likes of Parker, Tinsley and Arenas, thinking Forte could play point guard. The Rockets made a huge blunder in 1998 too. Rashard Lewis was the sentimental pick as he went to HS in Houston, and the Rockets had two first round picks. However with the second of these after being set to draft Lewis, they changed their minds and went for Bryce Drew instead.
How about Eric Montross picked #9th in 94 draft He did good in his rookie season but just died out the rest of his career and Micheal Doleac at #12? Dermarr Johnson?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Vintage:</div><div class="quote_post">But thats what makes them bad picks. Looking back.....thats how you determine if it was a bad pick or not.</div> No, not really. They're a bad pick if they don't produce at a contribution level, not if they don't produce at a star level. You're saying that if a player is picked before someone who ends up being better, than they were a bad pick. In that case, Hakeem Olajuwon was a bad pick. No. Not all lottery picks are expected to be stars. They're merely the picks from each class who are most suited to contributing in the NBA. All those guys I listed ended up contributing. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Vintage:</div><div class="quote_post">Top 5? </div> Ok, I should have said 'arguably top five.' You can't deny that. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Vintage:</div><div class="quote_post">This pick was the start of the "drafting for potential" that we now see today.</div> That's been going on for a lot longer than since '98, when Kandi was drafted. Shawn Bradley ring a bell? <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Vintage:</div><div class="quote_post">Teams need to consider if a player can adjust to the level of ball at the pro level. </div> Brilliant idea! You really shouldn't keep that all to yourself Vintage, you may be on to something...(sorry for the biting sarcasm) But seriously, there's no way to really do that. Guys like O'Bannon seem just as sure-fire as a Glen Rice or Jamal Mashburn, who turn into perennial all-stars.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting redscoon:</div><div class="quote_post">Trajan Langdan anyone? The Cavs drafted him 9th overall a few years back and he was out of the league shortly there after. If you needed someone to knock down a technical free throw, he was up for the task, but the rest of his game was nowhere near NBA caliber, let alone lottery pick territory. I remember shaking my head in disbelief when we drafted him.</div> Actually 11th, but yeah, bad pick. One of four Dukies to go in the first round that year though. And OG, I disagree that Moiso can be considered a bust yet. He was signed by Toronto in the offseason specifically because of his performance last year in the playoffs with NO. He was a very effective backup center in the few minutes he got, and showed against a quality team what he's capable of. With Toronto's inside problems this year, I'm really surprised he hasn't seen more PT.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Gotrunks226:</div><div class="quote_post">How about Eric Montross picked #9th in 94 draft He did good in his rookie season but just died out the rest of his career and Micheal Doleac at #12? Dermarr Johnson?</div> Montross was a bust, but he was also very injury prone. As for Dermarr, I think that's probably a tad unfair as he was starting to show a lot of potential with Atlanta before that accident. Can one say Bobby Hurley or Jay Williams were bad picks? Technically yes, but not fairly.
As for Kandi being a bust, WHEN HEALTHY, he is near a top five center, if not in the top five. He had some nice stats last year, which supposedly was his "down" year. I don't think Kwame Brown will do much. From what i know of him, his attutude sucks, he aslways says he's going to work out in the summer and never does jack. Aren't his hands supposed to be abnormally small too? I read an article talking about him, jihidi, and Haywood and saying how hard of a time he has catching and holding on to the ball.
Recent busts are the likes of Mike Olowokandi, Demarr Johnson, Eddie Griffin, Leon Smith and Kwame Brown. Potential Busts: Ivan Chiriaev, Pavol Poldkolzine.
