Ford - 10 worst draft picks of the past decade
Alson Wong
Posted by Chad Ford
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Milicic, Oden among pack of worst picks
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The NBA draft can be quite a crapshoot. Highly regarded players in
college, high school or international play can end up being busts in
the NBA.
When a team takes a bust in the early lottery, it can have devastating
effects for teams. Here's a look at 10 of the worst draft picks from
the past decade. Virtually all of the draft picks have one thing in
common -- a team swung for the upside fence and ended up striking out.
1. Darko Milicic, Detroit Pistons, No. 2 overall in 2003
Darko Milicic's name will forever live in infamy in Detroit and on my
personal Wikipedia page. Milicic was a super talented 17-year-old
Serbian big man who was known as an athletic, 7-foot-1, forward who
could play in the paint and shoot it from the perimeter. I traveled
all the way to Serbia to see him in November 2002, along with a number
of NBA scouts and we were all wowed by his skill to size ratio. An
amazing workout in front of Pistons GM Joe Dumars and myself in New
York the day before the NBA Draft lottery convinced us both that he
was going to be a star. Long-time Pistons scout Will Robinsion (the
guy who discovered Dumars and Grant Hill) compared him to a young Wilt
Chamberlain. The Pistons were so enthralled that they ended up
drafting Milicic ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.
Alas, just a few months after getting drafted, Darko's name became
more punchline than legend. Head coach Larry Brown had no need for
Darko on his NBA Championship team. Milicic would play only in
blowouts or at the end of games, and fans anointed him the Human
Victory Cigar. During his third season in the league, the Pistons gave
up on him and traded him to Orlando for a future first round pick.
Milicic began to show some promise in Orlando alongside Dwight Howard,
but Orlando decided to go in a different direction when Milicic hit
free agency and Darko signed with the Grizzlies, expecting big playing
time. It never happened. He now earns regular DNPs at the end of the
New York Knicks bench and has recently indicated that he wants to
return to Europe next year -- ending his NBA career and sealing his
destiny as the worst bust of the decade.
2. Kwame Brown, Washington Wizards, No. 1 overall in 2001
Michael Jordan may be the greatest player to ever play the game. But
as a GM, he got off to a shaky start when he took Brown with the No. 1
pick in the 2001 draft. Jordan was wowed by Brown's size and body. In
a workout, the day before the draft, Brown dominated another top
prospect, Tyson Chandler, in a one-on-one workout and afterwards told
Jordan that if MJ drafted him, he'd never regret it. Yeah, right.
Brown got off to a shaky start with head coach Doug Collins and
eventually slid into the abyss. His confidence shattered by Jordan and
Collins' rapid-fire criticism, Kwame never really developed. While he
had a ton of physical abilities, his bad hands and lack of self-esteem
have kept him from ever living up to his potential. Had Jordan drafted
Pau Gasol (who went No. 3 that year) his reputation in the front
office may have been much, much better.
3. Nikoloz Tskitishvili, Denver Nuggets, No. 5 overall in 2002
New Nuggets GM Kiki Vandeweghe famously drafted Tskiitshvili without
ever actually seeing him play. Vandeweghe had been the guy behind Dirk
Nowitzki's development in Dallas and based on Mike D'Antoni's glowing
reports about Skita (D'Antoni was Tskitishivili's head coach in
Italy), Vandeweghe decided to gamble.
Unfortunately for the Nuggets, Skita was more myth than player. He had
all the physical tools you want in a forward, but had no real
basketball IQ. He was a kid who looked terrific in workouts and
clueless in an actual game.
Four picks later, the Phoenix Suns drafted Amare Stoudemire.
Stoudemire went on to win Rookie of the Year honors. Skita was out of
the league four years later with a career 30-percent FG percentage.
4. Adam Morrison, Charlotte Bobcats, No. 3 overall in 2006 -- over
Brandon Roy
Chalk Morrison up as Michael Jordan's second devastating mistake as a
GM. This time the scene moves to Charlotte, where Jordan had just
bought a stake in the Bobcats and was named the team's vice president.
The Bobcats were in desperate need of a 2 guard and Roy looked like
the perfect fit for the Bobcats. However, Jordan was wowed by
Morrison's career at Gonzaga, loved his workout and decided to gamble
on the athletically challenged Morrison.
The results have been disastrous for Charlotte. Morrison was awful as
a rookie. He missed his entire sophomore season with a serious knee
injury and then was ultimately traded to the Lakers. Meanwhile Roy has
gone on to be one of the best 2 guards in the game.
5a. Marvin Williams, Atlanta Hawks, No. 2 overall in 2005 -- over
Chris Paul
Marvin Williams was the consensus upside pick in the draft. He was
incredibly skilled for a player his size and had just put on a
terrific performance in the NCAA Tournament. However, every scout in
the league knew that Paul was going to be special and was a perfect
fit in Atlanta. The Hawks had a gaping hole at the point guard
position and had drafted two athletic forwards -- Josh Smith and Josh
Childress -- the year before. Paul would've been the perfect
complement to them. Even Paul knew it and a few days before the draft
he campaigned for the Hawks to take him at No. 2.
In a move that only Billy Knight could pull off, Knight ignored all of
the context and selected Williams over Paul. At the time, a source
inside the Hawks front office told me that Knight believed Paul was
too small and that he really only liked big point guards.
Paul has gone on to be one of the best point guards in the history of
the game. Williams has been an average player who has especially
struggled of late after inking a five-year deal as a free agent this
summer.
5b. Shelden Williams, Atlanta Hawks, No. 5 overall in 2006 -- over
Rajon Rondo
One year after the CP3 debacle, Knight had a chance to redeem himself.
Washington guard Brandon Roy looked like he could play some point
guard in the league. Kentucky point guard Rajon Rondo looked like the
perfect type of point guard to push the pace and play smothering
defense. But Knight balked at both Roy and Rondo and instead took
Williams about 10 places higher than any other GM had predicted he
would go.
Of course, the Hawks had already drafted three other forwards in the
past two years and while the thinking was that Williams could play
some center for them, it didn't work out. The Hawks gave up on
Williams a few years later. Meanwhile Roy is a two time All-Star and
Rondo has a championship ring and huge contract extension with the
Celtics.
6. Yaroslav Korolev, Los Angeles Clippers, No. 12 overall in 2005
Head coach Mike Dunleavy has historically done a lot of the Clippers
scouting over the years. In 2005 Dunleavy took a disastrous trip to
the Euroleague Final Four in Moscow. There he saw an international
Juniors tournament that featured a young Russian named Yaroslav
Korolev. Korolev was the Russian equivalent of Dunleavy's son, Mike
Dunleavy Jr. He had a high basketball IQ, moved well, shot the ball
with range and could play the point guard in a pinch. Dunleavy fell in
love and promised Korolev that he'd take him with the 12th pick --
never thinking that a player like Danny Granger might slip all the way
down to 12th.
Korolev turned out to be a disaster. While he did look great in that
Juniors tournament, he had no real experience playing at the highest
levels of the game and was completely overwhelmed.
7. Fran Vasquez, Orlando Magic, No. 11 overall in 2005
This list is beginning to read like the perils of drafting
international players. In this case, GM Otis Smith just didn't do his
homework. Vasquez was a big, bouncy forward in Spain having a breakout
season. Every scout in the league was high on him. But there was a
problem. Several weeks before the draft Vasquez began having doubts
about playing in the NBA and started getting lucrative offers to stay
in Spain. Virtually every team in the league got the message and
Vasquez plummeted on our Big Board.
The Magic didn't know what was going on, didn't interview Vasquez
before the draft or talk to his agent and then -- surprise! -- found
out a few days after drafting him that Vasquez didn't really want to
play in the NBA. Five years later, Vasquez is still in Spain and still
doesn't have any real desire to play in the league. Players the Magic
passed on to get Vasquez include Danny Granger, David Lee and Monta
Ellis.
8. Rafael Araujo, Toronto Raptors, No. 8 overall in 2004
Newly minted Raptors GM Rob Babcock didn't take long to screw up the
Raptors. The Raptors had just landed Chris Bosh in the 2003 draft and
had been playing him at center. Bosh wanted to move to the four so
Babcock began scouring the draft for a center.
The problem was, there weren't any great centers other than Dwight
Howard and Emeka Okafor in the 2004 draft. Instead of taking the best
player available (i.e. Luol Deng or Andre Iguodala) or taking a risk
on a young, athletic big like Andris Biedrins, Babcock selected
Araujo, a 24-year-old Brazilian who had put up good numbers at BYU.
Most scouts had him ranked somewhere between the mid- to late-first
round on the draft boards. The Raptors reached and then watched Araujo
flounder for two years before sending him in a trade to the Jazz.
Araujo played just 28 games in his third season before falling out of
the league.
9. Greg Oden, Portland Trail Blazers, No. 1 overall in 2007 -- over
Kevin Durant
This may be very premature, but after Oden went down with his second
season-ending injury the question has to be asked -- did the Blazers
blow it when they drafted Oden over Kevin Durant?
The short-term answer is a definitive yes. Durant has turned himself
into one of the most dominating scorers in the game. Oden, by the time
the season is over, will have missed two of his first three seasons
with injuries.
The long-term answer is a little harder. Oden was beginning to look
worthy of that No. 1 pick early this season before the injury. If he
can ever find a way to stay healthy, he still has the size and
defensive instincts to be a great NBA center. But with so many
questions swirling around his long-term health, it's becoming
impossible to justify Oden over Durant.
10. Jordan Hill, New York Knicks, No. 8 overall in 2009 -- over
Brandon Jennings
This one, too, may be a bit premature. We are only a third of the way
into the season and big men, especially big men like Hill, take longer
to develop. However Hill can't find any minutes on a lottery team
while Jennings has been terrific in the early going. Given Jennings'
strong play it seems like a stretch to say that the Knicks drafted the
right guy.
It could be a costly mistake. The Knicks are trying to lure LeBron
James as a free agent this coming summer. They need to convince LeBron
that they have enough young talent around him to make them contenders.
Having Jennings on the roster could make a pretty impressive case.
Hill? Not so much.
bozak
lol... that ground is no jerry west... and they want to change the logo from jerry to
that fool??? please...
VicXnews
news:hhdlce$gbb$1...@news.eternal-september.org:
> lol... that ground is no jerry west... and they want to change the logo
> from jerry to that fool??? please...
>
I just hope that grounds last mistake works out for us as well as his
first...
beauzaq
> " bozak" <________bo...@gmail.com________> wrote innews:hhdlce$gbb$1...@news.eternal-september.org:
>
> > lol... that ground is no jerry west... and they want to change the logo
> > from jerry to that fool??? please...
>
> I just hope that grounds last mistake works out for us as well as his
> first...
well it is an expiring contract and they have been showcasing him...
that might be the problem though... lol...
VicXnews
9890fe...@22g2000yqr.googlegroups.com:
of course the Kwame situation looked bleak just before that trade =8-)
RzR
" bozak" <______...@gmail.com________> wrote in message
news:hhdlce$gbb$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
>
> lol... that ground is no jerry west... and they want to change the logo
> from jerry to
> that fool??? please...
and this has what to do with the punishment jordan was dishing out on the
court? nba is about the players not GMs
beauzaq
> " bozak" <________bo...@gmail.com________> wrote in message
the nba is about players, coaches, managment, and ownership...
RzR
"beauzaq" <bea...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:58bddc9d-19bb-41dc...@k17g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...
------
without coach, management and ownership, 10 guys can still go out there and
play...without the players, the first 3 mentioned dont have jack shit to do
;)
Super Derekfisher
> " bozak" <________bo...@gmail.com________> wrote in message
Wow, can't believe you fell for that one.
--
SDF
All the right people agree with me.
RzR
"Super Derekfisher" <superder...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:678e6ce3-395b-4f0b...@u7g2000yqm.googlegroups.com...
-----
for the record, nba logo is fine
Alson Wong
>
> lol... that ground is no jerry west... and they want to change the
> logo from jerry to that fool??? please...
I remember that in an ESPN.com poll just after Jordan was hired by the
Wizards, he was selected as the top executive in the NBA, ahead of Jerry
West. The poeple that voted for him were probably the same ones that named
him the greatest college player of all time in another online poll.
Johnny
> bozak wrote:
>>
>> lol... that ground is no jerry west... and they want to change the
>> logo from jerry to that fool??? please...
>
> I remember that in an ESPN.com poll just after Jordan was hired by the
> Wizards, he was selected as the top executive in the NBA, ahead of
> online poll.
I don't know who the "greatest" college player of all time was
(although I'm pretty sure Kareem will top a lot of people's list), but
my "favorite" college player of all time is The Pistol.
Alson Wong
>
> well it is an expiring contract and they have been showcasing him...
> that might be the problem though... lol...
Morrison and Farmar both have expiring contracts. And if the Nets are
looking to dump payroll, a Devin Harris trade for Morrison and Farmar works
salary-wise. Harris has three more years remaining on his contract after the
current season and the Nets are going nowhere, with the worst record in the
league, so their situation is not unlike that of the Grizzlies two years
ago.
Make it happen, Mitch! If he could pull this off he'd secure his place among
the best GMs of all time.
Alson Wong
>
> I don't know who the "greatest" college player of all time was
> (although I'm pretty sure Kareem will top a lot of people's list), but
> my "favorite" college player of all time is The Pistol.
Maravich came in first in an online poll that was taken a year or two ago,
followed by Ewing. Alcindor came in last among the choices offered. Walton
was second-to-last.
Alcindor, along with Wilt, are the only guys that I am sure could have been
dominant players in the NBA right out of high school. In his very first game
as a freshman at UCLA, Alcindor had 31 points, 21 rebounds, and 7 blocks as
his team beat the No. 1-ranked, two-time defending NCAA champion varsity
team. In his first varsity game, he scored 56 points. (In Wilt's first game
as a freshman, he had 52 points, 29 rebounds, and 4 blocks against the
Kansas varsity. He had 52 points and 31 rebounds in his first varsity game).
One problem with such polls is that I think people tend to vote for their
favorite player when voting for the "greatest" player. If the question were
worded differently, such as, "If you had one scholarship to give to a
college player, who would it be?" the answers might be a lot different. I
think Alcindor would win such a poll easily among people who are old enough
to remember him as a college player.
Similarly, one could ask, "If you were Dean Smith or John Thompson and had
to choose between offering a scholarship to Michael Jordan or Patrick Ewing,
whom would you choose?"
mayner
wrote:
Wah, wah, wah...
Ooo, help me up off the floor, Jordan. I'm so upset.
Freaking crybaby!
mayner
Yeesh. I'd wash his car(s) for a month if he could pull that one off.
Pop would probably have him shot though.
mayner
wrote:
>On Dec 29, 3:31�pm, "RzR" <2r4z...@gmail.com> wrote:
Too much information at once, Brother. Take it easy as the rzr is
easily confused.
mayner
<ra...@yahoo.com._b_l_o_c_k_> wrote:
>Johnny wrote:
>>
>> I don't know who the "greatest" college player of all time was
>> (although I'm pretty sure Kareem will top a lot of people's list), but
>> my "favorite" college player of all time is The Pistol.
>
>Maravich came in first in an online poll that was taken a year or two ago,
>followed by Ewing. Alcindor came in last among the choices offered. Walton
>was second-to-last.
>
>Alcindor, along with Wilt, are the only guys that I am sure could have been
>dominant players in the NBA right out of high school. In his very first game
>as a freshman at UCLA, Alcindor had 31 points, 21 rebounds, and 7 blocks as
>his team beat the No. 1-ranked, two-time defending NCAA champion varsity
>team. In his first varsity game, he scored 56 points.
Don't forget, they outlawed the dunk because of Jabbar (Alcindor).
Well, that and they probably got a look at the young and coming up
Artis Gilmore. ;-)
frndt...@aol.com
teams, except for the Lakers who did not have a first round pick,not
picking Agent Zero in the first round.
$Bill
>
> Don't forget, they outlawed the dunk because of Jabbar (Alcindor).
> Well, that and they probably got a look at the young and coming up
> Artis Gilmore. ;-)
There were a bunch of changes to BB caused by Wilt.
Ammammata
news:68d217ef-a7c7-4a9d...@m16g2000yqc.googlegroups.com:
> http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4778688&name=nba_dra
> ft
>
>
> 2. Kwame Brown, Washington Wizards, No. 1 overall in 2001
>
>
> 4. Adam Morrison, Charlotte Bobcats, No. 3 overall in 2006 -- over
> Brandon Roy
>
two out of the first four rows have been in LAL uniform ;)
--
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>>>>> http://www.bb2002.it :) <<<<<
........... [ al lavoro ] ...........
bozak
> Alson Wong <ra...@yahoo.com> wrote in
> news:68d217ef-a7c7-4a9d...@m16g2000yqc.googlegroups.com:
>
>> http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4778688&name=nba_dra
>> ft
>>
>>
>> 2. Kwame Brown, Washington Wizards, No. 1 overall in 2001
>>
>>
>> 4. Adam Morrison, Charlotte Bobcats, No. 3 overall in 2006 -- over
>> Brandon Roy
>>
>
> two out of the first four rows have been in LAL uniform ;)
something about a ship and an iceberg is coming to mind... :-)
Ken Cheng
an even bigger disappointment?
Terraholm
> I'm surprised that Kwame was only # 2 on this list. Was Darko really
> an even bigger disappointment?
>
More to who was passed up at #3 and #4.
Darko unlike fumble bump Kwame had everything he needed to be a big star
except the ambition and work ethic.