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As NBA fans well know, draft picks can be hit or miss. For every All-Star there are 10 players that don't meet expectations. In the draft world, there are also some notorious busts.
In this article, we will explore the fascinating world of NBA draft busts, delving into the biggest disappointments for each franchise and uncovering their worst all-time draft picks.
From high draft choices that fizzled out to teams that left much better players on the draft board, we'll examine the tales of these unfortunate selections...some of which still haunt teams to this day. Join us as we dive into the realm of NBA draft busts and examine the worst all-time draft pick for every NBA franchise.
Atlanta Hawks: Jon Koncak - 5th Overall, 1985 NBA Draft
The 7-footer's NBA career would be remembered for all the wrong reasons. In one of the deepest drafts in NBA history, the Hawks selected Koncak ahead of Karl Malone, Chris Mullin, Detlef Schrempf, Charles Oakley, and Joe Dumars, just to name a few. Not only did Atlanta leave multiple Hall of Famers on the board to select the SMU product that would only be a part-time starter for the team, but they doubled down a few years later to give Koncak one of the most puzzling contracts in history, a $13.1 million deal that made him higher paid than Michael Jordan and Larry Bird at the time. He ended his 11-year NBA run with career averages of 4.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest.
Boston Celtics: Jerome Moiso - 11th Overall, 2000 NBA Draft
While One-And-Done players are a great thing when referencing college basketball, it means totally the opposite in the NBA. Unfortunately for the Celtics, their 2000 pick of UCLA's Jerome Moiso resulted in the raw, 6'10" French prospect lasting just one season in Boston before being shipped to the Hornets in a "let's just get this guy outta here" deal. Moiso totaled just 35 points in his lone year as a Celtic and finished his forgettable NBA run averaging just 2.7 points per game for his career.
Brooklyn Nets: Dennis Hopson - 3rd Overall, 1987 NBA Draft
Those that remember the New Jersey Nets probably know that there are plenty of options for the biggest draft bust in franchise history, as the organization missed on draft picks more often than not. However, it's tough to overstate the opportunity cost of the Nets selecting Dennis Hopson third overall in the 1987 NBA Draft, as multiple Hall of Fame talents were left on the board behind him. Scottie Pippen, Reggie Miller, and Kevin Johnson were just a few of the future stars that went after Hopson, who flamed out after just three years with the Nets and would be out of the NBA altogether by the 1992-93 season.
Charlotte Hornets: Adam Morrison - 3rd Overall, 2006 NBA Draft
We could probably do a doozy of an article on draft picks made by Michael Jordan. Unfortunately for Hornets fans, Adam Morrison was just another in a long line of Jordan's misses in the NBA Draft. A star college player at Gonzaga, Morrison's first year in Charlotte would prove to be his best, as the 11.8 points per game he averaged over his rookie campaign stands as the highest mark of his career. Already a minus-athlete, Morrison would never recover from a season-ending knee injury suffered in his second season with Charlotte. He would spend the last two seasons of his four-year NBA career as a benchwarmer for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Chicago Bulls: Eddy Curry - 4th Overall, 2001 NBA Draft
Dubbed "Baby Shaq" due to his massive 6'11", 290 lb frame, the Bulls jumped on Eddy Curry with the fourth overall pick of the 2001 draft. Curry was a hometown hero that dominated the Illinois prep scene before electing to forego college and jump straight to the pro ranks. After landing Tyson Chandler in the '01 draft, Chicago had designs on a "Twin Towers" situation by teaming Chandler and Curry together. The plan never panned out, as Curry averaged just 11.9 points and 4.9 during his four seasons with the Bulls. He would eventually be dealt to the New York Knicks, though health issues would continue to limit him for the rest of his career.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Anthony Bennett - 1st Overall, 2013 NBA Draft
This is an absolute no-brainer, which is really saying something for a Cleveland organization that's had some huge draft misses in their history. In all fairness to the Cavs, while the 2013 NBA Draft did produce Giannis Antetokuonmpo, there was no clear, consensus number-one pick at the time. But boy, did they guess wrong with Anthony Bennett, a Toronto native that put together one good college season at UNLV. After taking a chance on the raw upside of the 6'8" power forward, it quickly became clear that Bennett not only wasn't worthy of the first overall pick but was just a borderline NBA player. To their credit, Cleveland realized their mistake quickly and dealt Bennett to the Minnesota Timberwolves just one year into his career. He would be out of the league altogether by 2018.
Happy NBA Draft Day to everyone on #NBATwitter
Nine years ago, the Cleveland Cavaliers shockingly selected Anthony Bennett with the first overall pick.
He spent just ONE season in Cleveland before being traded away.
He was ultimately out of the NBA after just four seasons. pic.twitter.com/RDOsXCtnSU
— Covers (@Covers) June 22, 2023
Dallas Mavericks: Samaki Walker - 9th Overall, 1996 NBA Draft
This is not so much an indictment of Walker – though he wasn't good – but instead speaks to the talent that went after him in the 1996 NBA Draft. In addition to Kobe Bryant at 13 and Steve Nash at 15, who quickly made his way to Dallas via a trade anyway, the Mavs left quality players such as Peja Stojakovic, Jermaine O'Neal, and Derek Fisher on the board to select Walker. The Louisville power forward lasted just three years in Dallas before signing with the San Antonio Spurs and eventually spending time with multiple NBA teams across his 10 seasons in the league. Walker ended his career averaging a meager 5.3 points per game.
Denver Nuggets: Nikoloz Tskitishvili - 5th Overall, 2002 NBA Draft
Dipping into international waters can either pay huge dividends or lead to horrible busts. While the recently crowned NBA champions certainly hit paydirt with their gamble on a relatively unknown Nikola Jokic in the 2014 draft, they had no such luck with Nikiloz Tskitishvili in the 2002 edition.
The Nuggets took a huge swing on the then-19-year-old Georgian with the fifth-overall pick, but despite his 7'0" stature, the international prospect never adapted to the NBA game. Tskitishvili constantly battled injuries throughout his brief career in the U.S. and never played in more than 40 games in a season after his rookie campaign. He ended his three-year stint in the Mile High City averaging 3.2 points per game and he was out of the league completely less than five years after being drafted.
Detroit Pistons: Darko Milicic - 2nd Overall, 2003 NBA Draft
Milicic isn't just the worst pick in Pistons' history but is arguably one of the worst draft selections of all time. What makes this pick so horrible isn't just the seven-foot Serbian's inability to make any sort of impact in the NBA, but the fact that Detroit selected the unproven Milicic over so many future superstars that were coming off proven college careers. While LeBron James was perhaps the biggest slam-dunk top pick in history in 2003, the Pistons still had their choice of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade, who would be the next three players off the board after Detroit selected Milicic second overall. He would start just two games in his three seasons with the Pistons before being dealt to the Orlando Magic.
20 years ago today, the Pistons drafted Darko Milicic with the second overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft pic.twitter.com/uk8Cyka8vq
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) June 26, 2023
Golden State Warriors: Joe Barry Carroll - 1st Overall, 1980 NBA Draft
A legendary bust! You know it's not good when the guy you selected first overall quickly earns the name "Joe Barely Cares", which is the telling moniker that Carroll was tagged with early into his NBA career with the Warriors.
While it's never fun grabbing a dud with the top pick of the draft, to make matters worse in this case the Warriors shipped Robert Parish and the No. 3 overall pick to the Boston Celtics in exchange for the rights to draft the underachieving Carroll. The player that would be selected with that third overall pick that Golden State traded? Oh, just a guy named Kevin McHale.
Houston Rockets: Eddie Griffin - 7th Overall, 2001 NBA Draft
The Houston Rockets didn't just badly miss on Eddie Griffin with the seventh pick of the 2001 NBA draft, they gave up THREE FIRST-ROUND PICKS to do so. Yep, the Rockets traded away picks 8, 18, & 23 to move up to seven in order to draft Griffin, a 6'10 power forward out of Seton Hall. The move turned out to be disastrous, not only because of drug and alcohol problems that limited Griffin to just two seasons in Houston, but also because the three picks the Rockets traded away could have been used on players such as Joe Johnson, Richard Jefferson, Tony Parker, or Gilbert Arenas...all players that were drafted after Griffin in the '01 NBA Draft.
Indiana Pacers: Rick Robey - 3rd Overall, 1978 NBA Draft
The Indiana faithful probably still get upset over this one, as the Pacers not only traded the first overall pick of the 1978 draft to the Portland Trail Blazers but then still didn't take hometown hero Larry Bird with the third overall pick. If we want to get technical, there was a risk that the Pacers would lose Bird's draft rights in a year due to his college status, but the Boston Celtics rightly deemed "The Hick From French Lick" worthy of the gamble and scooped him up three picks later with the sixth overall selection of the '78 draft. Robey, a 6'11" beanstalk out of Kentucky, would play just one season for the Pacers before, weirdly, ending up with the Boston Celtics and spending the next five years as a role player for Bird's powerhouse squads.
Los Angeles Clippers: Michael Olowokandi - 1st Overall, 1998 NBA Draft
If we went through all of the bad picks made by the Clippers we'd probably run out of digital ink. While there are several busts to choose from when discussing L.A.'s horrid draft record, Michael Olowokandi takes the cake. The first overall pick in a 1998 draft that featured Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, and Vince Carter going in the top 10, Olawokandi was the definition of a bust. The Nigerian-born seven-footer from the tiny University of the Pacific was clearly out of his element in the NBA. Mediocre is the kindest way to describe the "Kandi Man's" career, as he was reportedly a locker-room cancer during his five seasons with the Clippers while averaging a paltry 9.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per game on the court.
Los Angeles Lakers: Lonzo Ball - 2nd Overall, 2017 NBA Draft
While there have been some dark days, the Lakers have generally been a very successful franchise over the years, which has significantly lowered their chances of experiencing true draft busts due to often having non-lottery picks. However, L.A. had a chance to swing for the fences in 2017 with the second overall pick in the draft. The Lakers tabbed hometown UCLA product Lonzo Ball with the selection, hoping to find their next Magic Johnson.
While Ball did put forth some solid all-around numbers in Tinseltown, he struggled to stay on the court and find a consistent jump shot. The Lakers moved Ball as part of the deal that brought Anthony Davis to L.A., and while they did get a championship in 2020 with Davis' help, it's still fun to wonder what things would look like had the Lakers grabbed Jayson Tatum with the second pick instead of Ball.
Memphis Grizzlies: Hasheem Thabeet - 2nd Overall, 2009 NBA Draft
Stephen Curry. James Harden. DeMar DeRozan. Jrue Holiday. All these players were selected after Hasheem Thabeet in the 2009 NBA Draft, which makes this easily the worst pick in Memphis Grizzlies history. As if ignoring all those future stars wasn't bad enough, Thabeet himself was a mega bust that's widely considered one of the worst draft picks in history. The 7'3" center from Tanzania averaged 3.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game in his rookie season...and that was his best year as a pro.
Miami Heat: Michael Beasley - 2nd Overall, 2008 NBA Draft
Pat Riley has rarely missed on anything basketball related during his time in South Beach, but he'd probably like to have this one back. No, Michael Beasley is not the worst player Miami has ever drafted, though he's perhaps the most disappointing, considering this was the highest pick the Heat had ever held in the NBA Draft. A high-octane scorer in college, Beasley spent just two seasons with Miami averaging 12.3 points per game before being dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves for what amounted to a second-round pick. Not only was the troubled lefty an underwhelming performer for Miami, but by selecting him they missed out on future stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love, who both came off the draft board shortly after Beasley.
Milwaukee Bucks: Jabari Parker - 2nd Overall, 2014 NBA Draft
A somewhat nuanced selection here, as Jabari Parker was by no means a bad NBA player – or pick, for that matter – he just simply couldn't stay healthy for the Bucks. In addition to Parker's constant injury woes, his selection with the second overall pick prevented Milwaukee from pairing NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who went third in the 2014 draft to Philadelphia, with NBA MVP Giannis Antetokuonmpo. While the Duke standout Parker was the "safer" pick at the time – and was a legit 20 ppg scorer when healthy – it's fun to imagine an Embiid/Antetokuonmpo frontcourt pairing in Milwaukee. Instead, the Bucks got four years from the perma-injured Parker, who started more than 50 games in a season just once during his time with the organization.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Jonny Flynn - 6th Overall, 2009 NBA Draft
Imagine passing on Steph Curry not once, but twice, in the same draft. The Timberwolves are probably still kicking themselves over the nightmare fuel that was their 2009 draft. Minnesota had the unusual luxury of having back-to-back lottery picks and held both the fifth and sixth overall selections. The T-Wolves elected to take international sensation Ricky Rubio at 5, which we're willing to give a pass to. However, we can offer no such forgiveness for the team's selection of Syracuse guard Jonny Flynn ahead of Curry with the sixth pick. Flynn would have a solid rookie campaign but suffered a devastating hip injury the following year and never return to form. Minnesota dealt him to the Houston Rockets the following year, and Flynn was out of the NBA by the time he was 23. Steph Curry? Oh, just one of the greatest players in history.
The worst draft fumble ever:
Timberwolves passing on Steph Curry...TWICE. pic.twitter.com/H45xYAYPuT
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) June 26, 2023
New Orleans Pelicans: Cedric Simmons - 15th Overall, 2006 NBA Draft
Most players selected with the 15th pick aren't going to be superstars, but you at least expect them to contribute to the team in some capacity. Cedric Simmons failed on all counts. The NC State power forward started just four games in his lone season with New Orleans, averaging only 2.9 points per game. The organization quickly realized its mistake and moved on from Simmons after his rookie campaign. He ultimately appeared in just 75 games in his brief NBA career.
New York Knicks: Mike Sweetney - 9th Overall, 2003 NBA Draft
The 2003 NBA Draft was one of the most talent-laden in league history. So who did the New York Knicks grab with the ninth overall pick? Sorry for the reminder Knicks fans, but it was Mike Sweetney, a power forward who ended up being closer to Oliver Miller than Charles Oakley. Actually, Miller's career would have been an upgrade for the hefty Sweetney, who only lasted two years in the Big Apple before being dealt to the Chicago Bulls. The Georgetown product was out of the NBA altogether after just four seasons with career averages of 6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Cole Aldrich - 11th Overall, 2010 NBA Draft
The Thunder organization has made some very sharp draft picks since their move from Seattle to Oklahoma City. Cole Aldrich was not one of those picks. Thought to be OKC's center of the future, Aldrich was a bust from day one. The 6'11" Kansas product struggled to even get on the court for the Thunder and appeared in just 44 games across his short stint in Oklahoma City. After averaging just 1.7 points per game in two seasons with the team, Aldrich was shipped to Houston as part of the James Harden deal in 2012.
Orlando Magic: Fran Vazquez - 11th Overall, 2005 NBA Draft
In all fairness, we really don't know if Fran Vazquez is the biggest bust in Orlando Magic history because he's still yet to suit up for the team. Apparently, the decision-makers in Orlando planned to pair the 6'10" Vazquez with resident Magic big man Dwight Howard. The only problem is that Vazquez never got the memo. The Spaniard elected to stay in Europe and never logged one minute for Orlando or any team in the NBA. Not only did the Florida franchise completely waste the 11th pick on Vazquez, but they missed out on some quality NBA contributors like Danny Granger, David Lee, and Monta Ellis who went later in the '05 draft.
Philadelphia 76ers: Markelle Fultz - 1st Overall, 2017 NBA Draft
This was actually a neck-and-neck race between Fultz and Philly's second-overall pick in the 1993 draft, Shawn Bradley. While the 7-foot-6 Bradley was a cartoon character come to life and lasted just 2.5 seasons with the Sixers, we had to give the nod to Fulz, the uber-talented guard whose time in Philly was simply downright bizarre. After trading for the first pick, the Sixers selected the electric Washington guard over the likes of Jayson Tatum, De'Aaron Fox, and Donovan Mitchell.
Instead of being a foundational building block for the Sixers, Fultz appeared in just 33 games during his time in Philly, as a mysterious shoulder injury and constantly changing mechanics made him almost incapable of shooting the ball. Fultz has tried to rebuild his career as a member of the Orlando Magic, but there's no way to sugarcoat the draft disaster he was for the Sixers.
If Markelle Fultz's bizarre shooting form is due to an injury, then why is he playing? https://t.co/dVSoWfBF0O pic.twitter.com/y6WSoMrA8r
— NBA on Scoreboard Page (@NBAonSP) October 24, 2017
Phoenix Suns: Josh Jackson - 4th Overall, 2017 NBA Draft
The 2017 NBA Draft was a talent-rich class, but the Phoenix Suns missed the boat by selecting Josh Jackson with the fourth overall pick. The Suns tabbed the athletic Kansas product ahead of players such as De'Aaron Fox, Donovan Mitchell, and Bam Adebayo. Unfortunately for Phoenix, Jackson proved to be unreliable both on and off the court. He regressed after averaging 13.1 points during his rookie season and struggled to find consistency with a rotating door of teammates and coaches. Jackson also dealt with legal and disciplinary issues. He was eventually traded to the Memphis Grizzlies after just two seasons with the Suns and hasn't played in the NBA since the 2021-22 season.
Portland Trail Blazers: Sam Bowie - 2nd Overall, 1984 NBA Draft
Unfortunately for the Trail Blazers and their loyal fan base, the franchise had lots of contenders here, as Portland has made some historically-bad mistakes with high draft picks. The list consists of players such as LaRue Martin, Mychal Thompson, and Greg Oden, most of whom were selected by the Blazers ahead of future superstars. That's also the case with Portland's infamous selection of Sam Bowie second overall in the 1984 NBA Draft, as the third pick was used on some guy named Michael Jordan. Yeah, rough stuff.
Most basketball fans know the story well enough by now...the Blazers had selected guard Clyde Drexler just a year earlier and didn't want to draft another shooting guard. While the thought process made sense at the time, it turned out to be one of the most epic fails in the history of the draft. Bowie put forth a solid rookie season, but the 7'1" center was plagued with injury issues throughout his five years in Portland.
Sacramento Kings: Pervis Ellison - 1st Overall, 1989 NBA Draft
The long-suffering Kings have had plenty of practice with early draft picks. You'd think they'd be better at it. While Sacramento has a number of busts in their draft history, perhaps no player has been a bigger flop than Pervis Ellison, a power forward out of Louisville that the Kings tabbed with the first overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft. Nicknamed "Never Nervous Pervis", the often-injured Ellison would quickly be dubbed "Out of Service Pervis" by Kings teammate Danny Ainge.
Unfortunately for Ellison and the Kings, the notorious nickname was accurate, as he played over 70 games in a season just once in his entire NBA career. Ellison was such a bust that even the lowly Kings had to move on from him quickly. The franchise shipped him to Washington after just one season in Sac Town.
San Antonio Spurs: Josh Primo - 12th Overall, 2021 NBA Draft
While the verdict is still out on Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs don't often miss when drafting near the top of the board. In fact, their legendary hit rate on players such as David Robinson and Tim Duncan has often led to them drafting near the back of the first round over the past couple of decades. However, even the respected San Antonio brain trust isn't immune to the occasional draft bust.
One recent example is Alabama guard Josh Primo, who the Spurs selected with the 12th overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft. After a strong rookie year, Primo appeared to be on a path to being a foundational player for San Antonio. Unfortunately, his off-the-court issues proved unmanageable, as Primo was leveled with allegations of repeatedly exposing himself to a team therapist. The nasty situation led to a lawsuit, as well as Primo's release from the team after just one season on the court.
Toronto Raptors: Rafael Araujo - 8th Overall, 2004 NBA Draft
One of the league's most recent expansion franchises, the Raptors have had lots of opportunities at the top of the NBA Draft over the life of their existence. While the organization has had its fair share of misses, none are more glaring than the decision to select Rafael Araujo with the eighth overall pick of the 2004 draft. The selection was surprising at the time, as many draft experts had the BYU center projected to go near the end of the first round. Unfortunately, the Raptors weren't rewarded for the gamble, as Araujo quickly proved to be a liability on both ends of the court. After struggling to earn minutes in his two seasons in Toronto, he was shipped to the Utah Jazz. He played just one more season in the NBA before returning to his native Brazil and spending the rest of his career in that country's top pro league.
Utah Jazz: Dante Exum - 5th Overall, 2014 NBA Draft
A tantalizing prospect, the Jazz tabbed the 19-year-old Exum with the fifth overall pick of the 2014 draft, leaving players such as Marcus Smart, Julius Randle, and Zach LaVine on the board in the prospect. An athletic, 6'5" point guard out of Australia, the sky seemed to be the limit for dynamic Exum. However, injuries quickly dashed all hopes of the youngster becoming an All-Star, as he missed the entirety of his second NBA season with a devastating knee injury and would never again start more than 30 games in a season. Despite his struggles, the Jazz tried to stick with Exum and even gave him a contract extension, but he would never be able to stay healthy long enough to produce. His NBA career ended after the 2020-21 season with Exum still just 25 years old.
OTD in Utah Jazz History (6/26/14)
The Jazz drafted Dante Exum (#5), Rodney Hood (#23) and Jarnell Stokes (#35)
Some notable picks in this draft
#6- Marcus Smart
#7- Julius Randle
#13 Zach Lavine
#27 Bogdan Bogdonavic
#39 Jerami Grant
#41 Nikola Jokic
#46 Jordan Clarkson pic.twitter.com/dkf0Ji2EqU— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) June 26, 2023
Washington Wizards: Kwame Brown - 1st Overall, 2001 NBA Draft
You use the top overall picks on players that you believe will be game-changing superstars. Kwame Brown was not that. While Brown ultimately put together a 12-year NBA career as a serviceable big man, he never came close to reaching the expectations the Wizards had for him when making Brown the first high-school player ever selected with the first overall pick. Just 19 years old in his first NBA season, the young Brown struggled to live up to the hype and pressure that came with being the number-one pick.
While he was a contributor for Washington in his four seasons with the team, his impact was minimal. The Wizards would move on from Brown after the 2004-5 season and he would spend the rest of his career as an NBA journeyman. Though not the worst player ever selected first overall, Brown's career came nowhere close to some of the big men selected after him in the '01 draft, such as Pau Gasol, Tyson Chandler, and Zach Randolph.
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