On the surface, the 2007 NBA draft looks to be loaded with can’t-miss prospects. The talented cast of characters looks to include unanimous Player of Year and super freshman (Kevin Durant), the best big man prospect in many years (Greg Oden), two-time national champions (Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer), the foreign big-man (Yi Jianlian), the next Georgetown big-man (Roy Hibbert), and the talented high-flying Wright Brothers (unrelated Brandan Wright and Julian Wright).
While having a top pick in the draft (most likely belonging to the Grizzlies, Celtics, Bucks, Suns/Hawks, Supersonics and Bulls) gets fans and GMs excited about adding a sure-thing player, it often yields busts. Looking back over the past several years let’s remind ourselves of some of the top draft choices that never turned out the way fans would have liked.
The #1’s
#1 in 1998 - Michael Olowokandi. The “Kandi” man was supposed to dominate with his 7’ 270-pound frame but he end up with one and a half decent seasons with the Clippers (2001-2003) and has a career average of 8.3 points and 6.8 rebounds.
#1 in 2001 - Kwame Brown. This was Michael Jordan’s guy straight from high school but after four mediocre seasons in Washington he was traded to the Lakers. He has not fared much better in LA. Brown has a career average of 7.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game - respectable but not nearly enough for the #1 overall pick.
The Class of 2000
#3 in 2000 - Darius Miles. After several high school kids came in to the NBA and began to dominate, including Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Jermaine O’Neal and Tracy McGrady, high-schoolers were the rage and Darius Miles was next in line. While he did have a nice 2005-2006 season averaging 14.0 points and 4.6 rebounds, his career numbers of 10.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game fall short of what you expect from the #3 pick.
#4 in 2000 - Macus Fizer. After having a great career at Iowa State, Fizer got off to a decent start in his first three years with the Chicago Bulls. His trajectory did not improve however and his career production has been falling since. He now sports carer number of 9.6 ppg and 4.6 rpg in 289 games - disappointing for the #4 pick.
The Awful 2002
#2 in 2002 - Jay Williams. We will never what would have been had Jay Williams not gotten into the gruesome motorcycle accident, but we do know this, he only played in 75 NBA games and started 54. Tough way to spend a #2 pick.
#5 in 2002 - Nikoloz Tskitshvili. Who? Yeah that guy. In the midst of the love affair with young foreign-born players, Kiki Vandeweghe in Denver got caught up in the trend and drafted Tskitshvili. He never averaged more than the 16.3 minutes per game he averaged as a rookie and now has a career resume the includes 172 games played, and per game averages of 2.9 points and 1.8 rebounds.
#6 in 2002 - DeJuan Wagner. Milt Wagner’s son had an impressive freshman year at Memphis, followed by a respectable 13.4 ppg average as an NBA rookie in Cleveland. But like Williams, Wagner had serious injuries and surgeries that essentially brough his career to an end before it ever really began.
The Pick that Could Have Been
#2 in 2003 - Darko Milicic. He was supposed to be the left-handed version of Dirk Nowitzki…well he is left-handed. Milicic who is having his best season this year (8.0 ppg; 5.5 rpg for Orlando) has the misfortune of being in a spectacular draft class and will always be compared with Lebron James, taken before him, and Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, taken right after him. Despite botching this pick the Detroit Pistons still went on the two NBA finals, winning one, with Darko firmly planted on the bench.
While having a top pick in the draft (most likely belonging to the Grizzlies, Celtics, Bucks, Suns/Hawks, Supersonics and Bulls) gets fans and GMs excited about adding a sure-thing player, it often yields busts. Looking back over the past several years let’s remind ourselves of some of the top draft choices that never turned out the way fans would have liked.
The #1’s
#1 in 1998 - Michael Olowokandi. The “Kandi” man was supposed to dominate with his 7’ 270-pound frame but he end up with one and a half decent seasons with the Clippers (2001-2003) and has a career average of 8.3 points and 6.8 rebounds.
#1 in 2001 - Kwame Brown. This was Michael Jordan’s guy straight from high school but after four mediocre seasons in Washington he was traded to the Lakers. He has not fared much better in LA. Brown has a career average of 7.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game - respectable but not nearly enough for the #1 overall pick.
The Class of 2000
#3 in 2000 - Darius Miles. After several high school kids came in to the NBA and began to dominate, including Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Jermaine O’Neal and Tracy McGrady, high-schoolers were the rage and Darius Miles was next in line. While he did have a nice 2005-2006 season averaging 14.0 points and 4.6 rebounds, his career numbers of 10.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game fall short of what you expect from the #3 pick.
#4 in 2000 - Macus Fizer. After having a great career at Iowa State, Fizer got off to a decent start in his first three years with the Chicago Bulls. His trajectory did not improve however and his career production has been falling since. He now sports carer number of 9.6 ppg and 4.6 rpg in 289 games - disappointing for the #4 pick.
The Awful 2002
#2 in 2002 - Jay Williams. We will never what would have been had Jay Williams not gotten into the gruesome motorcycle accident, but we do know this, he only played in 75 NBA games and started 54. Tough way to spend a #2 pick.
#5 in 2002 - Nikoloz Tskitshvili. Who? Yeah that guy. In the midst of the love affair with young foreign-born players, Kiki Vandeweghe in Denver got caught up in the trend and drafted Tskitshvili. He never averaged more than the 16.3 minutes per game he averaged as a rookie and now has a career resume the includes 172 games played, and per game averages of 2.9 points and 1.8 rebounds.
#6 in 2002 - DeJuan Wagner. Milt Wagner’s son had an impressive freshman year at Memphis, followed by a respectable 13.4 ppg average as an NBA rookie in Cleveland. But like Williams, Wagner had serious injuries and surgeries that essentially brough his career to an end before it ever really began.
The Pick that Could Have Been
#2 in 2003 - Darko Milicic. He was supposed to be the left-handed version of Dirk Nowitzki…well he is left-handed. Milicic who is having his best season this year (8.0 ppg; 5.5 rpg for Orlando) has the misfortune of being in a spectacular draft class and will always be compared with Lebron James, taken before him, and Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, taken right after him. Despite botching this pick the Detroit Pistons still went on the two NBA finals, winning one, with Darko firmly planted on the bench.
1 comment:
What about Bryant "Big Country" Reeves from Oklahoma State. He was the man in college and actually had a couple good seasons for the Grizz but faded away after a few years.
Post a Comment