College Players Who Didn't Meet Pro Expectations

[ibby]

With the draft coming up, and Adam Morrison resting firmly at the end of the Lakers bench, I started thinking of college stars who didn't meet my expectations for them in the NBA. I think we're all pretty good at knowig who will be a role player and who will be a star.  I by no means would say that Adonyle Foyle didn't meet my expectations even though he averaged near a triple double at Colgate, he was a decent role playing C/PF.  I would also not consider someone like JJ Reddick who we all thought would be a great three-point shooting role player(which is what he has become) despite being a superstar at Duke as a dissapointment.

For me my dissapointments would be Keith Van Horn who was by no means an awful pro player, but I always thought he would have a pro career much closer to Paul Pierce's than he did.

A much bigger dissapointment was Miles Simmons of Arizona, who I think played one year.  I thought he would be a great Tony Allen style role player.  Another is Austin Croshere (sp?) who was nasty for Providence in the NCAA's and was probably over drafted. But he was incredible during one playoff run with the Pacers, signed a big extension then never lived up to that potential again.

Who are yours?

[Bankshot]

Walter Berry.  I think he averaged 20/10 in college.  I thought he was going to be great, but he was trash in the NBA.  He was the original "The Truth".

[shiggins]

Randolph Childress
Trajan Langdon
Ron Mercer
Casey Jacobsen
Joe Forte



And Miles Simon being like Tony Allen?  These guys were about as different as players as you could be...Simon was a 3 point bomber where Tony survived on defense and athleticism?

[winsomme]

I like the question of disappointment better than busts. It implies that you had a personal stake in the player turning into a quality pro. As opposed to a guy like Milicic who I really knew nothing about coming into the league.

For me, a player I though would turn into a terrific pro was Randy Foye. Certainly too early to close the book on him, but the way he tore up defenses in college, I was sure would do the same in the NBA.

Interestingly, the player he reminds me of took about 5 years to really put it together and find the right place in the NBA: Chauncey Billups

[ibby]

Randolph Childress
Trajan Langdon
Ron Mercer
Casey Jacobsen
Joe Forte



And Miles Simon being like Tony Allen?  These guys were about as different as players as you could be...Simon was a 3 point bomber where Tony survived on defense and athleticism?

I forgot about Randolph Childress I remember him in the ACC tournament waving up a guy who had fallen down and then nailing a three, I thought he would be a great player.

Ron Mercer too, I feel like he was in that Harold Miner (sp?), Carter, Stackhouse wheelhouse of people thinking he was going to be the Next Jordan, too bad he turned out only a little better than Miner.

When I compared Miles Simmons to Tony Allen I didn't mean style, I meant a guy who could hang around based on a limited set of skills (ie TA's d and Simmons's o).  I can see why the way I worded that made it sound like I thought they had the same game.

[Fan from VT]

I don't watch a lot of college ball, so I don't have a lot of strong opinions. That said, here are some players that fell short of where I thought they would be by now:

Rafael Arujao. Let me clarify: Never thought he'd be great, but I caught that tourney run where he was very good and pictured him getting drafted in the 20s and being an adonyl foyle type of steady 15 mpg rebounder for 8 years.

Luol Deng and emeka okafor. Thought they'd be better than they are.

Sean May. Same as Arujao.

Marvin Williams. Not that he'd be wrothy of that #2 spot, but i remember watching UNC win that year and thinking that this freshman looked like the most talented one on the team, just a little hesitant because he's young and not quite sure how to use his talents. Like how Lebron looked his rookie year (but not nearly as good). However, he hasn't grown up yet and it's a little late to expect that now.

Kyle Lowry. Thought he'd be a starter.

Conley Jr. Thought he'd be a legit starter.

[xmuscularghandix]

I thought Dan Dickau would be better.

[guava_wrench]

Walter Berry.  I think he averaged 20/10 in college.  I thought he was going to be great, but he was trash in the NBA.  He was the original "The Truth".

As a St Johns fan, he disappointed me too.

[Redz]

Ralph Sampson, Lenny Bias (someone had to say it), Pete Maravich to some degree...

[ibby]

I thought Dan Dickau would be better.

I too bought into him.  I REALLY thought he was the next John Stockton.

Ralph Sampson, Lenny Bias (someone had to say it), Pete Maravich to some degree...

I thought Sampson had a pretty good career until injuries. I'm curious as to why you said Pete Maravich.  I never saw him in college (way before my time), or got to see him in the NBA (a little before my time), but he averaged 25ppg, 5 rpg, and 5 apg for his career and was on the top 50 list.  Are you saying you thought he may have become the a Jordan-Bird-West type of transcendent player?

As to Bias every time I hear people talking about him I picture the Celtics of the early 90s with a lineup of him, Reggie Lewis, Dino Radja, an aging (yet still effective) Chief, and some random point guard (David Wesley maybe?).  That team would have been a contender.

[Redz]

I thought Dan Dickau would be better.

I too bought into him.  I REALLY thought he was the next John Stockton.

Ralph Sampson, Lenny Bias (someone had to say it), Pete Maravich to some degree...

I thought Sampson had a pretty good career until injuries. I'm curious as to why you said Pete Maravich.  I never saw him in college (way before my time), or got to see him in the NBA (a little before my time), but he averaged 25ppg, 5 rpg, and 5 apg for his career and was on the top 50 list.  Are you saying you thought he may have become the a Jordan-Bird-West type of transcendent player?

As to Bias every time I hear people talking about him I picture the Celtics of the early 90s with a lineup of him, Reggie Lewis, Dino Radja, an aging (yet still effective) Chief, and some random point guard (David Wesley maybe?).  That team would have been a contender.

Pistol Pete the college player was outer worldly, he never really reached that level as a pro (not that he sucked).  Ralph Sampson was touted as a Jabbar type, but taller, in college, but never came anywhere near that level as a pro.

[greg683x]

Bobby Hurley, Kerry Kittles, Keith Van Horn, Sheldon Williams, Marvin Williams

[ibby]

Bobby Hurley, Kerry Kittles, Keith Van Horn, Sheldon Williams, Marvin Williams

Bobby Hurley is a guy who could have and should have been so good. It's like a curse for Duke point guards. Kerry Kittles was a very good role player, but I agree that after his days at 'Nova I thought he'd be a star. Speaking of Donyell Marshall was a disappointment too after his UConn days.

[celticsclay]

Shawn Bradley

[hardlyyardley]

2007= Acie Law......clutch at Texas A&M
      Alando Tucker......dominating in Big 10

2005=Julius Hodge

2004=Luke Jackson

2001=Loren Woods

2000=Courtney Alexander (Virginia  and Fresno)
     Marcus Fizer
     Mateen Cleaves