As the NBA season enters the heated second half, playoff spots are up for grabs and relatively-unknown players look to solidify their case as rotation players on their respective squads. Many rookies will be looking to become more household names in the league, while others (like Anthony Bennett) will simply be trying to make others forget about their poor performances earlier in the season. While it is too early to write off Bennett, the #1 overall draft pick in 2013, there are some other, more recent players that we can label as undeniable busts.
1. Sam Bowie (No. 2, 1984)
The man behind perhaps the most notorious snub of all time, Bowie was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the second overall pick in the 1984 Draft, one ahead of the greatest of all time, "His Airness" Michael Jordan. By NBA standards, he had a relatively successful career, playing 10 seasons after graduating from the University of Kentucky, averaging 10.9 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game during his time in the league. However, he simply needs to be #1 on this list, solely because he was picked before the best player to ever grace an NBA court.
2. Kwame Brown (No. 1, 2001)
Brown was waived in November 2013 by the lowly 76ers, and his career was seemingly put to an end. Coming out of high school with lofty expectations, Brown failed to meet even the most modest of these predictions, averaging a measly 6.6 points per game over his 12-year tenure in the league. Poor footwork and brick hands made him a liability in the post, as can be seen in the fact that he spent time with seven teams, never finding much success.
3. Darko Milicic (No. 2, 2002)
Milicic was labeled "the next Dirk" prior to the 2002 draft, as it seems every big man to come out of Europe is, yet he simply could not live up to the hype. In 10 seasons in the association, he averaged a meager 6.0 points per game and just 4.2 rebounds per game; for a man seven feet tall, these stats are downright embarrassing. To compound the problem, he was selected before NBA mainstays such as Amar'e Stoudemire, Caron Butler, Nenê, Tayshaun Prince, and Carlos Boozer, players who also have a combined 10 All-Star appearances among them.
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| Although Darko Milicic appeared happy on Draft Day, his performances would soon bring frowns to members of the Pistons front office. |
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