Worst NBA Draft mistakes ever.

[nickagneta]

I felt a response to the small blur of a comment that Bill Ingram made in the middle of an update article on free agency the other day was in order after he wrote this:

For the Clippers' sake they better hope the Bobcats match any offer for Okafor. The Bobcats might just see this as a golden opportunity to make up for one of the most unfortunate draft picks in modern history.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9427

This was discussed for a bit in another thread and think it deserved it's own thread.

Bill Ingram, you are a moron and I can named at least 50 posters on this blog that should be getting paid for the job you are getting paid for over at HoopsHype since I know they could at least speak intelligently about all things NBA. The same cannot be said about you.

Here are in no particular order 11 of the worst draft mistakes in the modern era(last 30 years or so)in my opinion:

- Let's start right at the top Sam Bowie #2 Michael Jordan #3 in 1984.
- Golden State trading Robert Parrish and the #3 pick(Kevin McHale) to the Celtics for the right to draft Joe Barry Carroll #1 in 1980
- There's probably 4 picks alone in the druggie-infested 1986 Draft that could conceivably be in the top 10 so let's just say the entire draft. Len Bias #2, Chris Washburn #3, William Bedford #6, Roy Tarpley #7, overhyped non producers Kenny Walker #5, and Dwayne Washington #13.
- 1989 the Boston Celtics take Michael Smith #13 and immediately thereafter Golden State takes Tim Hardaway. Ouch.
- 1995 Draft. In need of a big inside presence the Warriors, Clippers and Bullets all bypass one Kevin Garnett at picks #1(Joe Smith), #2(Antonio McDyess), and #4(Rasheed Wallace) respectively and KG falls to the TWolves. Don't get me wrong all okay players but KG is one of the 4 best players in the league since that time.
- In 1996 these are the players that were chosen with the 6 picks right in front of Kobe Bryant: 
7. LA Clippers Lorenzen Wright  Memphis 
8. New Jersey  Kerry Kittles  Villanova 
9. Dallas (from Boston)  Samaki Walker  Louisvile 
10. Indiana (from Denver)  Erick Dampier  Mississippi State 
11. Golden State  Todd Fuller  North Carolina State 
12. Cleveland (from Wash.)  Vitaly Potapenko 

Although I am not sure that is nearly a big of a mistake as;
- 1996, two weeks after the draft Charlotte trades the rights for Kobe Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac
- 1998 Milwaukee becomes enamored with Robert "Tractor" Trailer and trades Dirk Nowitski who they drafted at #9 and Pat Garrity who they drafted at #19 to Dallas for his rights when they drafted him at #6
- 2000 Chicago drafts Marcus Fizer at #4 in the hope of replacing Elton Brand who they later rade to the Clippers for the rights to Tyson Chandler and Brian Skinner
- 2001 Michael Jordan chooses Kwame Brown #1. Nuff said
- 2003 Detroit chooses Darko Milicic #2 right in front of #3 Carmelo Anthony, #4 Chris Bosh, #5 Dwayne Wade, and #6 Chris Kaman.

Drafting Okafor #2 in 2004 who has produced years of

2005 15.1 PTS, 10.9 REB, 1.7 BLK, 0.8 STL
2006 13.2 PTS, 10,0 REB, 1.9 BLK. 0.8 STL
2007 14.4 PTS, 11.3 REB, 2.6 BLK, 0.9 STL
2008 13.8 PTS, 10.7 REB, 1.7 BLK, 0.8 STL

with the only real argument of players being drafted behind him being better than him being Al Jefferson and Josh Smith,and even then that's debateable, I can't understand what the heck Ingram is saying. Can you?

[wdleehi]

Yep.  That was one of their good picks. 


The reaching for Felton and May on the other hand, not so good. 

[Bankshot]

Maybe he thought (mistakenly) that Okafor was the #1 pick and Howard was #2.  I remember there were lots of people saying that Magic should select Okafor #1.  I read somewhere recently where someone else made the same mistake and thought Okafor was the #1 pick the year he was drafted.  Can't remember where I read it though.

Just a guess.  Otherwise, he's a moron.

[Roy Hobbs]

Don't forget the Kandi-man.  Selected #1, over Bibby, Jamison, Vince Carter, Dirk, Pierce, and a whole host of other legit players.

Gotta give recognition to Never-nervous-but-always-injured Pervis, as well.

I don't fault the teams too much for passing on KG or Kobe, though.  Those turned out to be great selections in hindsight (like us passing on Tracy McGrady for Ron Mercer), but at the time high school players were a relative unknown.  Taking KG, especially, was seen as a huge gamble.

[wdleehi]

What about 2001?



34 picks missed out on the one, the only, Scali.   

[nickagneta]

Yeah I was going to mention that but I thought the Trailer trade was a bigger train wreck than Kandi. Kandi was kinda considered the #1 that year with some question but not a lot. There were red flags all over trailer from the get go with some pundits rightly predicting him out of the league in 3-4 years because of weight issues. Then the Bucks trade away an MVP for him. Heck Garrity had a better career than Trailer.

I was also torn with Drexler going 13th in 1983 and Stockton going 16th in 1984. Especially Drexler considering his college career at Phi Slamma Jamma.

[nickagneta]

What about 2001?



34 picks missed out on the one, the only, Scali.   

LOL. Definitely trajedy of epic proportions.

[Bankshot]

What about 2001?



34 picks missed out on the one, the only, Scali.   

Yep.  And Danny was smart enough to lock him up for 5 years when no one else was bidding for his services.  Go Ainge!

[EJPLAYA]

What about 2001?



34 picks missed out on the one, the only, Scali.   

Yep.  And Danny was smart enough to lock him up for 5 years when no one else was bidding for his services.  Go Ainge!

The guy brings you a championship with his shrewd moves and signings and you are still ripping him?! Some people are just never satisfied...

[Bankshot]

What about 2001?



34 picks missed out on the one, the only, Scali.   

Yep.  And Danny was smart enough to lock him up for 5 years when no one else was bidding for his services.  Go Ainge!

The guy brings you a championship with his shrewd moves and signings and you are still ripping him?! Some people are just never satisfied...

I'm not an Ainge basher.  This is just all in good fun.  Lighten up.

[Redz]

Don't forget the Kandi-man.  Selected #1, over Bibby, Jamison, Vince Carter, Dirk, Pierce, and a whole host of other legit players.

Gotta give recognition to Never-nervous-but-always-injured Pervis, as well.

I don't fault the teams too much for passing on KG or Kobe, though.  Those turned out to be great selections in hindsight (like us passing on Tracy McGrady for Ron Mercer), but at the time high school players were a relative unknown.  Taking KG, especially, was seen as a huge gamble.

Kandi-Man indeed.  You'd have to consider Lenny Bias at #2 in `86 a mistake of a different feather, but a mistake nonetheless (though that draft was full of mistakes). 

Jonathan Bender at #5?

[Edgar]

Yup incredible that the kandi Mas was left out
imagine
hes for me one of the biggest bust ever next to Kwame Brown
but even oden may be riding that horse soon if injuries affect him