This offseason, NBA FanHouse will address important questions about the league. It will be a Summer of Answers. First up: the biggest draft bust of the decade.The new millennium has brought no shortage of pitiful draft selections. We limited our selections to the top-10 overall in each draft class, and took into account the quality of the players left on the board (but ruled out odd non-basketball injures -- Jay Williams, Dajuan Wagner and the like). We start with those draft choices not quite terrible enough to make the top ... err, bottom five.
Marvin Williams, Atlanta. The rubbery forward went #2 in a draft which featured two max contract point guard, Deron Williams and Chris Paul. Williams has become some version of the projection his potential screamed of, but he'll never catch up to Deron or CP. Painfully bad choice by the Hawks, all things considered.
Adam Morrison, Charlotte and Shelden Williams, Atlanta. It's a little early to write off class of '06 products, sure, but consensus rates the Ammo and Shel picks as ... awful. With Brandon Roy, Rudy Gay and Vladimir Veremeenko all on the board, the Cats and Hawks have little excuse.
Marcus Fizer, Chicago. The 2000 draft was historically bad, but Fizer at #4 still stinks. Mike Miller went one choice later, and decent players who are, you know, still in the league -- Joel Pryzbilla, Hedo Turkoglu -- went later.
Luke Jackson, Cleveland. Hmm, Jackson seems conspicuous in his absence from this summer's '04 revival madness. Luke earns his spot among the top busts of the Oughts based on those taken after him -- Andris Biedrins, Al Jefferson, Josh Smith, Kevin Martin. Think LeBron could use any of those guys?
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Darko Milicic.
I love the Grizzlies but Darko has to be on any list about draft busts. He was taken ahead of Dwayne Wade, Carmello Anthony and Chris Bosh to name a few and only started last season because Memphis had no other option at center.
Patience, young padowan.
I was afraid you were going to say that!
Patience is warranted but Darko has to be on the big bust list. It appears that he may have a CHANCE of avoiding bust status on his own merits but there is no way he is reaching the stratosphere of the three players picked after him. Ask Sam Bowie what having great players picked around you does to how people view your career.
1 Global Icon
2 Relative Bust
3 All-star
4 All-star
5 Best player on Championship team, All-star
Luke Jackson was in the Olympics? What are you talking about? :\
i don't think Marvin has been a bust! he has shown great improvement, he averaged 15 points and 6 rebounds last year, and is really turning into a good player. Plus, he;s only 22. He will be very good, i think.