Post by GP on Dec 8, 2008 14:04:23 GMT -5
With BBS2000 celebrating its 15th season soon, it's time to recap the top 10 biggest busts in draft history. While some were biggest busts than others, there certainly is an array of players to choose from. So how do you classify a bust? Mostly looking at production and other factors including where they were taken relative to what their ratings are today determined who were busts. Also, players taken after them are also big factors in compiling this order. Without further ado, let's take a look:
10- Alexey Shved SG 2009 Draft 8th pick overall New Orleans Hornets
Shved turned out to be another victim of too much hype and not enough game to stick it in BBS. After Maniac was getting pissed at Donatello to pick, the Hornets took Shved in believing they had another Rudy Fernandez in their hands. Yet, Shved never even reached Fernandez’s level at all. His game never really developed even with balanced ratings to start (B- B- B- C- C- A). Quite simply, it’s actually better Shved wasn’t taken higher cause he would have been a bigger bust than he is now.
9- Abdul Gaddy 2012 12th pick overall New Orleans Hornets
Keeping with the trends of bust point guards comes Gaddy at No. 9 on the list. Gaddy had a sweet game coming out of Arizona and was destined to join a long line of Arizona standouts like Gilbert Arenas and Jerry Bayles (No. 4 on this list). However, after being stashed two seasons in Clipperland, Gaddy never became much of anything. His ratings went down and his training camps never developed. Many believed he would be a very good, pure point guard but he turned out to be everything of a bust.
8- Leandro Barbosa PG 2003 Draft 9th pick overall Indiana Pacers
Barbosa was an absolute beast in BBS2 at point guard but somehow it did not translate into BBS2000. Today, Barbosa is a free agent wire pick-up and nothing more than a situational shooter. His handles are bad for a point guard, his defense leaves a lot to be considered and he’s not very quick at all. The 2003 draft was a very early class but some other guys went on to have nice careers who were taken after the picks right after Barbosa (11-15 Darko Milicic, Jose Calderon, Luke Ridnour, Maurice Williams and Mike Dunleavy).
7- Devin Ebanks SF 2010 Draft 6th pick overall New York Knicks
Hailing from West Virginia, Ebanks seemed to be a very interesting prospect coming out in 2010. GM Nova stated that, “Most scouts absolutely love him.” With an interesting build (6’8) but very lanky (185), Ebanks never developed into a balanced scorer or a guy worthy of a top 10 selection. Others like Jrue Holiday (7th), Jordan Hill (9th), or DeJuan Blair (15th) all turned out to be better picks and were selected later. Looking back though now, the 2010 draft was pretty weak compared to other draft classes of the past.
6- Danilo Gallinari SF 2008 Draft 6th pick overall Cleveland Cavaliers
Danilo is kind of in the same boat as Aminu. He never really lived up to high expectations. Part of the Australian regime in Cleveland, Danilo was considered one of the most balanced players in the 2008 draft. However, after two bad training camps, a couple teams gave him a shot but he never shot up (Dallas, Seattle, New Jersey). Today, he is a decent starter simply because of mid-season progression help. He’s having a career season with the Hawks, he’s never that prototype player that some envisioned him to be.
5- Al Farouq-Aminu SF 2009 Draft 4th pick overall Indiana Pacers
In 2009, the Clippers again landed out of the top three and dealt away their pick to Indiana. Convinved Aminu had star written all over him, the Pacers gladly added him to their roster. Although Aminu is a decent starter now, he is not close to other All-League selections picked after him (James Harden, Patrick Patterson, Stephen Curry). Currently, Aminu has a nice game but certainly is not the star some projected him to be.
4- Jerryd Bayless PG 2008 draft 4th pick overall Indiana Pacers
Bayless seemed like the sure-fire pick following the top heavy three at the top (Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley and OJ Mayo). However, it never really turned out that way for Bayless. Considered the second best PG after Rose, Bayless never erupted and can’t even sniff the production of Rose, DJ Augustin (#7) or even Russell Westbrook (#12). Although not completely unserviceable, Bayless just never became that big time guard everyone anticipated.
3- Danny Granger SF 2005 Draft 7th pick overall Portland Trail Blazers
A pick later in the 2005 draft, Danny Granger from New Mexico came off the board. The Blazers thought they had a winner. And why not? Granger had been a force in the last BBS. They thought he would at least make an impact on the defensive end immediately and his offense would develop. Right now, Granger’s career scoring average is just under five points a game. In his tenth season, Granger has already been with eight teams.
2- Marvin Williams SF 2005 draft 6th pick overall Los Angeles Clippers
A year earlier, the Clippers were faced with a predicament. After being dropped from the projected second overall pick to the sixth slot, the Clippers took the best available player left which was North Carolina’s Marvin Williams. Williams, came in with a great profile, and even better draft notes. Current Dallas Mavericks GM Chris Martinez dubbed Williams with “superstar potential.” Yet, more than a decade later Williams is considered a big bust. Never really developing an inside game or defensive game, Williams is nothing more than a reserve on a BBS team now.
1- Rudy Gay SF 2006 draft 3rd pick overall Houston Rockets
Back in 2006, the top three picks of this draft seemed to be locks. With Washington guard Brandon Roy going 1st overall to the Nets, the team with the next pick, the Lakers took LaMarcus Aldridge out of Texas. Then the Houston Rockets who plucked Rudy Gay out of UConn, hoping he would be the franchise savior at the No. 3 spot. Ten seasons later, Gay is a mere backup on most teams in BBS. No one is quite sure why Gay never broke out. After spending five seasons in Toronto, Gay has made three more stops since then and has never really flourished or had that big training camp.
Dishonorable mentions
Julian Wright SF 2007 Draft 8th pick overall Indiana Pacers
Boris Diaw SF 2003 Draft 10th overall Seattle Sonics
Greg Monroe PF 5th overall 2010 Draft Cleveland Cavaliers
Josh Boone PF 2006 Draft 12th overall Philadelphia 76ers
Martell Webster SF 2006 Draft 7th overall Memphis Grizzlies
10- Alexey Shved SG 2009 Draft 8th pick overall New Orleans Hornets
Shved turned out to be another victim of too much hype and not enough game to stick it in BBS. After Maniac was getting pissed at Donatello to pick, the Hornets took Shved in believing they had another Rudy Fernandez in their hands. Yet, Shved never even reached Fernandez’s level at all. His game never really developed even with balanced ratings to start (B- B- B- C- C- A). Quite simply, it’s actually better Shved wasn’t taken higher cause he would have been a bigger bust than he is now.
9- Abdul Gaddy 2012 12th pick overall New Orleans Hornets
Keeping with the trends of bust point guards comes Gaddy at No. 9 on the list. Gaddy had a sweet game coming out of Arizona and was destined to join a long line of Arizona standouts like Gilbert Arenas and Jerry Bayles (No. 4 on this list). However, after being stashed two seasons in Clipperland, Gaddy never became much of anything. His ratings went down and his training camps never developed. Many believed he would be a very good, pure point guard but he turned out to be everything of a bust.
8- Leandro Barbosa PG 2003 Draft 9th pick overall Indiana Pacers
Barbosa was an absolute beast in BBS2 at point guard but somehow it did not translate into BBS2000. Today, Barbosa is a free agent wire pick-up and nothing more than a situational shooter. His handles are bad for a point guard, his defense leaves a lot to be considered and he’s not very quick at all. The 2003 draft was a very early class but some other guys went on to have nice careers who were taken after the picks right after Barbosa (11-15 Darko Milicic, Jose Calderon, Luke Ridnour, Maurice Williams and Mike Dunleavy).
7- Devin Ebanks SF 2010 Draft 6th pick overall New York Knicks
Hailing from West Virginia, Ebanks seemed to be a very interesting prospect coming out in 2010. GM Nova stated that, “Most scouts absolutely love him.” With an interesting build (6’8) but very lanky (185), Ebanks never developed into a balanced scorer or a guy worthy of a top 10 selection. Others like Jrue Holiday (7th), Jordan Hill (9th), or DeJuan Blair (15th) all turned out to be better picks and were selected later. Looking back though now, the 2010 draft was pretty weak compared to other draft classes of the past.
6- Danilo Gallinari SF 2008 Draft 6th pick overall Cleveland Cavaliers
Danilo is kind of in the same boat as Aminu. He never really lived up to high expectations. Part of the Australian regime in Cleveland, Danilo was considered one of the most balanced players in the 2008 draft. However, after two bad training camps, a couple teams gave him a shot but he never shot up (Dallas, Seattle, New Jersey). Today, he is a decent starter simply because of mid-season progression help. He’s having a career season with the Hawks, he’s never that prototype player that some envisioned him to be.
5- Al Farouq-Aminu SF 2009 Draft 4th pick overall Indiana Pacers
In 2009, the Clippers again landed out of the top three and dealt away their pick to Indiana. Convinved Aminu had star written all over him, the Pacers gladly added him to their roster. Although Aminu is a decent starter now, he is not close to other All-League selections picked after him (James Harden, Patrick Patterson, Stephen Curry). Currently, Aminu has a nice game but certainly is not the star some projected him to be.
4- Jerryd Bayless PG 2008 draft 4th pick overall Indiana Pacers
Bayless seemed like the sure-fire pick following the top heavy three at the top (Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley and OJ Mayo). However, it never really turned out that way for Bayless. Considered the second best PG after Rose, Bayless never erupted and can’t even sniff the production of Rose, DJ Augustin (#7) or even Russell Westbrook (#12). Although not completely unserviceable, Bayless just never became that big time guard everyone anticipated.
3- Danny Granger SF 2005 Draft 7th pick overall Portland Trail Blazers
A pick later in the 2005 draft, Danny Granger from New Mexico came off the board. The Blazers thought they had a winner. And why not? Granger had been a force in the last BBS. They thought he would at least make an impact on the defensive end immediately and his offense would develop. Right now, Granger’s career scoring average is just under five points a game. In his tenth season, Granger has already been with eight teams.
2- Marvin Williams SF 2005 draft 6th pick overall Los Angeles Clippers
A year earlier, the Clippers were faced with a predicament. After being dropped from the projected second overall pick to the sixth slot, the Clippers took the best available player left which was North Carolina’s Marvin Williams. Williams, came in with a great profile, and even better draft notes. Current Dallas Mavericks GM Chris Martinez dubbed Williams with “superstar potential.” Yet, more than a decade later Williams is considered a big bust. Never really developing an inside game or defensive game, Williams is nothing more than a reserve on a BBS team now.
1- Rudy Gay SF 2006 draft 3rd pick overall Houston Rockets
Back in 2006, the top three picks of this draft seemed to be locks. With Washington guard Brandon Roy going 1st overall to the Nets, the team with the next pick, the Lakers took LaMarcus Aldridge out of Texas. Then the Houston Rockets who plucked Rudy Gay out of UConn, hoping he would be the franchise savior at the No. 3 spot. Ten seasons later, Gay is a mere backup on most teams in BBS. No one is quite sure why Gay never broke out. After spending five seasons in Toronto, Gay has made three more stops since then and has never really flourished or had that big training camp.
Dishonorable mentions
Julian Wright SF 2007 Draft 8th pick overall Indiana Pacers
Boris Diaw SF 2003 Draft 10th overall Seattle Sonics
Greg Monroe PF 5th overall 2010 Draft Cleveland Cavaliers
Josh Boone PF 2006 Draft 12th overall Philadelphia 76ers
Martell Webster SF 2006 Draft 7th overall Memphis Grizzlies
