Biggest NBA Busts?

[TexasMan]

Tyrus Thomas should get a mention.

Dude was picked 4th in the draft simply because he could jump. That's it.

 

[starbigd]

Did you watch Darius Miles play? He might not have reached his potential, but that doesnt mean he was a bust.

Yes I did. Did YOU???

The man averaged 10 points per for his CAREER. He is the definition of the word bust, I don't see how you can label him any other way.

 

[WhiteMamba]

Blazers have passed on Jordan for Bowie, ( an often injured Bowie pre draft), Chris Paul and Darron Williams for Martel Webster, and Kevin Durant for Greg Oden.....

They did however trade around and position themselves to get B Roy over Morrison and LaMarcus Aldridge over Tyrus Thomas.

Win some lose more.

Yes, one could argue Portland had Drexler and didnt need that position, although you could easily have played Clyde at the 3.

San Antonio wasnt thinking they already had a big man in David Robinson and pass on Tim Duncan... Just sayin... What coulda been for Portland...

 

[Jims_Doors]

Blazers have passed on Jordan for Bowie, ( an often injured Bowie pre draft), Chris Paul and Darron Williams for Martel Webster, and Kevin Durant for Greg Oden.....

They did however trade around and position themselves to get B Roy over Morrison and LaMarcus Aldridge over Tyrus Thomas.

Win some lose more.

Yes, one could argue Portland had Drexler and didnt need that position, although you could easily have played Clyde at the 3.

San Antonio wasnt thinking they already had a big man in David Robinson and pass on Tim Duncan... Just sayin... What coulda been for Portland...

Back then, the thinking was you had to have a big man. Especially being in the West if you wanted to try to contain Kareem. It's easy to say now "just move Drexler to the 3"

Robinson's rookie year was 89-90. Duncan was drafted in 1997. Robinson missed most of the season with a broken foot and back problems the year before Duncan was drafted.

Wasn't a hard decison for San Antonio to draft Tim first overall

 

[WhiteMamba]

Back then, the thinking was you had to have a big man. Especially being in the West if you wanted to try to contain Kareem. It's easy to say now "just move Drexler to the 3"

Robinson's rookie year was 89-90. Duncan was drafted in 1997. Robinson missed most of the season with a broken foot and back problems the year before Duncan was drafted.

Wasn't a hard decison for San Antonio to draft Tim first overall

Well if Portland would have won the coin flip they woulda got Olajuwon and this would all be a mute point. But Bowie's knees and shins were so fucked up it didnt take a genius to see the writing on the wall...

 

[Jims_Doors]

Well if Portland would have won the coin flip they woulda got Olajuwon and this would all be a mute point. But Bowie's knees and shins were so fucked up it didnt take a genius to see the writing on the wall...

I agree...which means they were going to take a big no matter what.

Portlands Doctors cleared Sam before the draft. They didn't know he was going to break both legs 2 yrs later.

 

[trojanfan12]

Not sure why Oden is number 1. Injuries derailed his career, not poor play.

Agree!! If a players career is derailed by injury, then he should not be considered a bust!!

 

[TexasWes]

Ralph Sampson. 6'16" and could make change off the top of the backboard. Houston took this 124-lb Manute Bol wanna-be and "tried" to play him at center in the NBA. If he had any meat on his bones, he'd done OK; however, anyone...ala...Barkley, Ewing, Dawkins...anyone with weight simply pushed him outside the paint.

Did well in ACC ball, and took UVa on a few championship runs...but never had the DNA to run with the big dogs.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

Yes I did. Did YOU???

The man averaged 10 points per for his CAREER. He is the definition of the word bust, I don't see how you can label him any other way.

Are you serious? The guy was a decent player. Someone that averages 10 for their career, 14 as a highest for a season, and 47 points in a game as a career best is hardly a major bust. Now he never reached his potential, but he do not belong on this list with them other guys.

 

[bravesfan]

Marvin Williams...ugh, thanks for the reminder

 

[starbigd]

Are you serious? The guy was a decent player. Someone that averages 10 for their career, 14 as a highest for a season, and 47 points in a game as a career best is hardly a major bust. Now he never reached his potential, but he do not belong on this list with them other guys.

We'll just have to disagree then. He had a few flashes, but he was never a decent player......hell he spent most of his career on the bench. Thats kind of the point. If your a high first rounder, and you spend your career on the bench, you're pretty much a bust.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

You can call it bust, but its no major bust that would put him on this list.

 

[lakersrule]

Olowokandi. He was a number 1 pick who certainly never produced at an elite level. He was a 7-footer who never shot better than 45% from the field. He was a horrible rebounder for a big man.

 

[HammerDown]

Interesting.

 

[HammerDown]

...and in contrast.

 

[tducey]

Yeah Kwame Brown definitely.

 

[Shanemansj13]

We have talked about players with injuries. What about Jason Williams, the one from Duke.

 

[OregonDucks]

Olowokandi. He was a number 1 pick who certainly never produced at an elite level. He was a 7-footer who never shot better than 45% from the field. He was a horrible rebounder for a big man.

he was a beast on the Xbox NBA Jam though.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

Not sure why Oden is number 1. Injuries derailed his career, not poor play.

A bust is a bust. It doesn't matter if he plays like a buster or is busted up. He's still a bust.

 

[GunsUp_ShootinBlanks]

A surprising lack of Hasheem Thabeet in this thread.