10 Infamous NBA Draft Busts of the past 10 Years

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Now that the NBA Draft is o-v-a, let’s critique the past before we venture into the future.

What a much better title to a (classic?) movie trilogy!!!
Venture to the Future!!!
Okay, not so much.

There are EASY busts to find, as you’ll see below, but I want to change things up a little bit. It’s just my style…

Here are the “guidelines”:
A) I’ll display the EASY pick (or picks) after my own selection.
B) Only one sentence of justification (I hope).
C) I’ll share a BUST I predicted correctly and a BOOM I didn’t see coming.
D) I’ll try and eliminate bias. Key word: try.

2008 – #6. Danilo Gallinari (New York via Italy)
I may chew on these words in the coming years (hope I do!), yet I wonder far too often if passing up on Brook Lopez, Eric Gordon, or even Jerryd Bayless may haunt Donnie Walsh from his first season as Knicks GM.

Easy Pick: #8 Joe Alexander (Milwaukee via West Virginia)
BUST: Tougher thank you think to isolate…
BOOM: #22 Courtney Lee (Orlando via Western Kentucky)

2007 – #1. Greg Oden [Portland via Ohio State]
Nobody hopes I’m wrong more than me; HOWEVER, as of now (AS OF NOW), he’s a BUST. As of now…

Easy Pick: #7 Corey Brewer (Minnesota via Florida)
BUST: #20 Jason Smith (Philadelphia via Colorado State)
BOOM: #26 Aaron Brooks (Houston via Oregon)

2006 – #3. Adam Morrison [Charlotte via Gonzaga]
As sloppy an early 1st round (save teammates Brandon Roy & LaMarcus Aldridge thus far) you’re likely to see in recent memory, this first round was a mess altogether; made no better by another somewhat baffling selection by the GM known as MJ.

Easy Pick: #10 Mouhammed Sene (Seattle via Belgium)
BUST: #9 Patrick O’Bryant (Golden State via Bradley)
BOOM: #21 Rajon Rondo (Boston via Kentucky)

2005 – #6. Martell Webster [Portland via Seattle Prep School]
While many of the names after him didn’t far any better, Webster was a high schooler who was chosen specifically because of how he shot the deep ball, which still makes no sense to me at all.

Easy Pick: #11 Fran Vazquez (Orlando via Spain)
BUST: #12 Yaroslav Korolev [LA Clippers via Russia]
BOOM: #30 David Lee [New York via Florida]

2004 – #10. Luke Jackson [Cleveland via Oregon]
A personal favorite of mine, the former Duck was a sensational college scorer who fell flat on his face in a far-too-athletic NBA.

Easy Pick: #8 Rafael Araujo (Toronto via BYU)
BUST: #13 Sebastian Telfair (Boston via Mean Streets of Brooklyn)
BOOM: #26 Kevin Martin (Sacremento via Western Carolina)

2003 – #2. Darko Milicic [Detroit via Serbia]
Perhaps the “too easy pick”, Milicic went to a STACKED Detroit roster after a guy named LeBron and before guys named Carmelo, Bosh, and Wade.

Easy Pick: #9 Michael Sweetney [New York via Georgetown]
BUST: #10 Jarvis Hayes [Washington via Georgia]
BOOM: #18 David West [New Orleans via Xavier]

2002 – #2. Jay Williams [Chicago via DOOK]
A motorcycle crash, nearly fatal, in 2003 rocked the career of the former collegiate standout; nevertheless, questions had remained concerning Williams’ size and decision making abilities.

Easy Picks: #5 Nikoloz Tskitishvili [Denver via Italy] & #6 Dejuan Wagner [Cleveland via Memphis]
BUST: #12 Melvin Ely (LA Clippers via Fresno State)
BOOM: #34 Carlos Boozer (Cleveland via DOOK)

2001 – #9. Rodney White [Detroit via Charlotte]
Whenever you mention 2001, you think Kwame Brown; however, White – the National Freshman of the Year – left the NBA in 2005 with little to nothing to show for his career.

Easy Pick: #11 Kedrick Brown (Boston via Okaloosa-Walton Community College)
Too Easy Pick: #1 Kwame Brown (Washington via Michael Jordan’s machinations)
BUST: #17 Michael Bradley (Toronto via Villanova)
BOOM: #10 Joe Johnson (Boston via Arkansas Southern)

2000 – #6. DeMarr Johnson [Atlanta via Cincinnati]
58 selections and only 3 All-Stars (Kenyon Martin, Jamaal Magloire, & Michael Redd) emerged, none more telling a sign than the journeyman Johnson, who may have rode the coattails of fellow first-round pick Kenyon Martin to far too high of a selection.

Easy Pick: #4 Marcus Fizer [Chicago Bulls via Iowa State]
BUSTED: #7 Chris Mihm [Cleveland via Texas]
BOOM: #37 Eddie House [Miami via Arizona State]

Note: This draft was an absolute blood bath. God bless Michael Redd for making something of this train wreck of "talent".

1999 – #15. Frederic Weis [New York Knicks via France]
Perhaps best known as the ultimate “poster” for Vince Carter, Weis was taken over Queens’ own Ron Artest and never signed with the Knicks to play a single game in the NBA.

Easy Pick: #5 Jonathan Bender [Indiana Pacers via Picuyane High School]
BUSTED: #11 Trajan Langdon [Cleveland via DOOK]
BOOM: #9 Shawn Marion [Phoenix via UNLV]

Now it’s YOUR turn to bring out your disappointments and surprises.
Well come on!!!

Check out the new poll (top right) and don't let the NBA Draft leave you just left. Instant analysis is what you crave and that's what you get. Especially HERE.

For Every LeBron James … there’s a Chris Washburn

For every LeBron James (high school phenom who lived up to the hype), Chris Bosh (college player who transcended his game after becoming a pro) and even Brandon Roy (4-year senior who was swept under the underclassmen radar), we find countless players who defy expectations in ways you couldn’t imagine.

Some are far better than you would ever expect in your wildest of dreams, while others are doomed to toil in obscurity.

Washburn, the 3rd overall pick in 1987, scored a total of 222 points...in his entire 4-year career.
Credit: CNNSI.com

How many of you penciled these 2001 draftees as perennial All-Stars on draft night?
-Gilbert Arenas [31^st pick by Golden State]
-Michael Redd [43^rd pick by Milwaukee]

Even role players like Paul Millsap, Craig Smith and Leon Powe have clearly leapt above the expectations of GMs making selections in the 2006 NBA Draft.

I bet even a few of you considered the plight of these four former Top 10 selections of the new millennium.

-Nikoloz Tskitishvili [5^th pick in 2002 by Denver]
-DaJuan Wagner [6^th pick in 2002 by Cleveland]
-Darko Milicic [2^nd pick in 2003 by Detroit]
-Rafael Araujo [8^th pick in 2004 by Toronto]

Of course, Kwame Brown (#1 to Washington and MJ in 2001) deserves his own billboard in such a situation.

MJ's "legacy" as a GM started with this former #1-selection.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

You can do one better and look at a lot of the 2000 1^st-round…

Marcus Fizer, DerMarr Johnson, Jerome Moiso, Stromile Swift, Courtney Alexander, Dalibor Bargaric (who?), Mateen Cleaves, Joel Przybilla, and Chris Mihm.

Impressive, right?

As for the 2007 crop, how many of you have already penciled in Spencer Hawes and Joakim Noah as busts? I know I have. Although the latter may make me look a little silly if he continues to get the most out of his limited talents (and I don't mean with his recent affinity towards Purple Haze records).

In case you’ve forgotten college basketball already (not likely), Pay has become an expert in modeling blank resumes of prospective teams on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. Let’s see which of our readers can do they same, except when given descriptions of then-prospective NBA talent.

Try and guess who these NBA players are. Answer in the comments, where you will find answers 24 hours from this posting. GOOD LUCK!

Analysis of a NBA player from the 2003 draft. Who is it?

_______________ is really one of a kind. He runs the floor, handles the ball, shoots the NBA 3 and plays with his back to the basket, so you can slot him in at the 3, 4 or 5 positions. OK, a few other guys can do that too; what sets ____________ apart is his toughness in the post. You have to love a guy who has the footwork to spin by an opponent but still prefers to lower a shoulder and bang. Fact is, _____________ plays in attack mode at both ends of the floor. The more you push, the more he pushes back. While he won't be asked to carry the load, he's capable of doing this earlier than you think.

Who am I?

One clue: This pick was NOT David West. However, this draft pick was taken before the all-star. Far, far before actually.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Analysis of another NBA player from the 2003 draft. Who is it?

"I love _____________. I think he can play three positions. Ridiculous shooter and surprisingly good rebounder. If I was a good team, I'd take him. Someone will
end up with a hell of a player, absolute stud."

Who am I?

One clue: It's NOT Josh Howard, the last pick of the 1st-round, who would've been a much savvier lottery selection for this Eastern Conference squad.
Credit: Basketbolhabor.com

Analysis of a NBA player from the 2002 draft. Who is it?

The __________ would have preferred Hilario or Wilcox, but they'll have to settle for
this ____________who takes the ball hard to the basket like a young Shawn Kemp.
Unfortunately, that's about all he does right now. One scout last fall termed
his overall game "clueless."

Who am I?

One clue: we're not talking about former Tennessee Marcus Haislip. Funny story, though...
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Analysis of a NBA player from the 2000 draft. Who is it?

NBA Comparison: Michael Jordan
Strengths: Special player. Extremely gifted athlete. Great ball handler. Very advanced shooter and scorer for his age. A showstopper. Can play the 1 or 2. Super character. As NBA ready as any player in this class. Wow.

Who am I?

One clue: I wonder if this "next" MJ was hatin' on this "next" MJ when this cover dropped in February of 2002?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Good luck in the next 24-or-so hours. You'd be surprised what the "experts" (ESPN, CNNSI.com, NBADraft.net, and countless others) think when scouting the draft.

Make you nervous about the likes of Anthony Randolph (next Lamar Odom?), JaVale McGee (next Andrew Bynum?), and Marreese Speights (next Juwan Howard?)?

Me too.

PHSports’ 5 Sleepers and 5 Busts for the 2007 NFL Fantasy Season

Each year dozens of sports websites offer their lists of busts and sleepers for the fantasy football season. These lists are entirely speculative and based on mostly nothing but gut feelings. Having now degraded the uncertain nature of predicting sleepers and busts, the staff at PHSports has decided to jump aboard the ship and offer what its own crystal ball revealed for the 2007 fantasy football season.

SLEEPERS

1. LaMont Jordan (RB, Oakland Raiders)

Yes, I can sense the double take followed by the rubbing of the eyes you all just experienced. A Raider? As a sleeper? Well, after last season this team, and Jordan, has nowhere to go but up. Jordan’s sub-par 2006 lays the groundwork for an improved season. Furthermore, Dominic Rhodes’ 4-game suspension to start the season is the ultimate early Christmas present for Jordan, who has two years under his belt with his Oakland teammates. That camaraderie, along with Lane Kiffin’s new system, will propel Jordan to be a solid #3 back.

2. Greg Jennings (WR, Green Bay Packers)

This second-year wide-out from the frozen tundra goes against the traditional notion that wide receivers don’t usually pan out until their third season in the league. Now, we aren’t saying that Jennings will provide Ocho-Cinco type stats to your depleted fantasy roster, but he did have 45 receptions for 632 yards last season. Since then, the Packers have dropped veteran WR Robert Ferguson, and Jennings has claimed the 2^nd starting WR spot opposite Donald Driver. With Brett Favre’s arm likely being the key to the Packers’ offensive scheme again this season, look for Jennings to get at least 90-100 looks from the aging QB. NOTE: since the drafting of this article, Packers' #1 WR Donald Driver was carted off the field with an undisclosed injury. Keep an eye out on this situation since it could boost Jennings’ status as a sleeper.

3. Vincent Jackson (WR, San Diego Chargers)

Now, here is a WR entering that supposedly grand third season, and one who PHSports thinks will put up the numbers in 2007. Admittedly, Jackson had a statistically forgettable 2006 season. His 27 catches for 453 yards aren’t noteworthy, but the 6 touchdown catches are nothing to sneeze at. 2007 should see Jackson’s totals rise, even though he is still competing with the arguably the league’s best TE in Antonio Gates. The key to Jackson’s stats this season is the arrival of Norv Turner. Though he’s never amounted to much of anything as a head coach, Turner has played a key part in improving the passing offense of his past teams, and will do the same for the Chargers.

4. Brandon Jackson (RB, Green Bay Packers)

Green Bay fans must be loving us right now. (There’d better be a rise in hits from Wisconsinafter this article). The second Jackson of this list has a great opportunity ahead of him at the side of Brett Favre. Thanks to the injury to Vernand Morency, who still claims the #1 spot on the Packers’ depth chart, Brandon Jackson has seen and will continue to see most of the touches with the first string offense. Jackson has shown promise in the preseason, so the job appears to be his to keep. Though we don’t expect magical numbers from the rookie out of Nebraska, he will produce good numbers. This is probably the biggest “reach” of our sleeper picks.

5. Alex Smith (QB, San Francisco 49ers)

The lone quarterback on our sleeper list could very well have the breakout season of 2007. Although he no longer has QB guru Norv Turner to guide him, Alex Smith is working with a very solid team that experienced some quality success last season. Furthermore, Frank Gore will help to alleviate the pressure from the young quarterback. The 49ers have also added some depth to the receiving core, adding Ashley Lelie and Darrell Jackson in the off-season, not to mention the help he’ll get from a healthy Vernon Davis. Don’t be surprised if Alex Smith is a top 10 fantasy QB by the end of the season.

BUSTS

1. Shaun Alexander (RB, Seattle Seahawks)

It pains us to put this former TD and rushing champion at the top of this list, but there are far too many questions surrounding his injured foot and his ability to bounce back. Alexander only played in 10 games last season, and only managed 3.6 yards per carry (ypc), a far cry from the 4.8 ypc in 2004 and and 5.1 ypc in 2005. He’s also no spring chicken, turning 30 before the regular season starts, so we have to wonder whether he has enough youthful energy left in him to return to his glory years or if he’s on course to become the next Marshall Faulk.

2. Randy Moss (WR, New England Patriots)

So much hype and so many expectations can only lead to disappointment, especially considering that Randy hasn’t even practiced with the team since early August. People tend to overreact when a quality wide receiver switches teams, assuming that the mere pairing of a quality wideout with a team’s quarterback will lead to sheer magic. Unfortunately, those people are forgetting Peerless Price to Atlanta, Muhsin Muhammad to Chicago, oh and Randy Moss himself to Oakland. Sure, Randy could pull a Donté Stallworth and provide immediate help to his new team, but given his lack of practice time with Tom Brady, we wouldn’t be shocked if he didn’t finish in the top 2 on his team in receptions.

3. Tom Brady (QB, New England Patriots)

When a team has basically been crowned the Super Bowl champion by a solid portion of the media during the off-season, it’s usually been a bad sign of things to come (see Washington Redskins under Daniel Snyder). The Patriots went out and signed about 400 new wide receivers for their GQ QB after the AFC Championship loss to the Colts last year. Unfortunately for Papa Brady, this has fans expecting a 5,000 yard season with 30+ TD passes (finishing second only to Jon Kitna’s self-projection of 50 TD tosses). Given those over-reaching expectations, Brady’s got fantasy bust written all over him. He may still have an okay fantasy season, especially if he and his new wideouts can get on the same page despite injuries. However, he won’t be worth the 2^nd or 3^rd round selection that will be used on him in most leagues.

4. Marc Bulger (QB, St. Louis Rams)

What a difference a signature makes. Before Bulger signed his new contract extension a few weeks ago, some of the staff here at PHSports had him pegged for a sure-fire sleeper pick. Bulger was poised to have a “contract year” to guarantee himself the big bucks from the Rams or some other team after the 2007 season. But then, it happened. The Rams caved and gave him a 6-year, $65 million extension … so now he’s settled financially and ready to underachieve.

5. Clinton Portis (RB, Washington Redskins)

The man of many disguises has become way too injury prone very early in his career. The injuries coupled with a 1,000-yard backup RB in Ladell Betts who proved his worth last season, make Portis a very risky selection in any fantasy draft. He’s only played a full season once in his three years as a Redskin and he’s seen zero action this preseason. Even if he is fully healthy by the start of the season, Portis will only be getting about 60-65% of the touches after Betts’ solid 2006 campaign, thus limiting his fantasy production.