10 Feet High

(I try not to be too mean, but it can prove quite challenging).

A lot is made about busts, so I have to ask, what exactly is one? To me, a bust is a very specific type of player, the guy that fans think is the savior of their franchise and more importantly, the player scouts dub as "can't miss prospects" - the next big thing.

The thing about football or baseball is that each team is loaded with bench players. MLB rosters have 25 guys, while NFL rosters keep 53. NBA rosters are only permitted to have 15 (12 active). In other words, the “scrubs” on an NBA team have a much less likelihood of making the league than those at the NFL or MLB level.

All of this in mind, the nature of a bust is undeniable.

Chronic under-achievers – fair or unfair – are a part of the game, just as much as pick-and-rolls and the up-and-under. Some are bigger than others, but the following list is composed of the players analysts thought as the truest gems of the future, and in turn, the guys who failed to realize their potential on the grandest stage of all. Let’s go…

Felipe Lopez – Heralded as the second coming when he landed the cover of SI and committed to St. John’s in 1995, Lopez actually had a very solid career for the Red Storm.

He was named to the All-Big East First Team as a senior, but he never realized his vast stardom, despite being the No. 24 pick in the 1998 NBA Draft. Lopez’s career as a pro was a failure, playing on three NBA teams and averaging just 5 points and 2 rebounds. Word is, he’s still playing overseas, which I commend. It’s very tough swallowing your pride like that.

Jason Williams – Not the guy involved in the shooting of his limo driver charge and not “White Chocolate,” but the All-American Dookie, who was selected second overall in the 2002 Draft, and the guy everyone thought would be the next great point guard in the NBA. The man made a bad choice and never recovered from a career-ending motorcycle accident. I remember this especially well, because I was at Duke Basketball Camp when it happened. Coach K came in to speak to the kids, and appeared about as devastated as a human being can look. It would have been special to see J-Will play in the NBA. The former Naismith, Wooden and Oscar Robertson Award winner, was recently named to the Sports Illustrated All-Decade Team in college basketball, and deservedly so. His orchestration of the 10-point-comeback with 1 minute left versus Maryland in 2001 will always live on.



Greg Oden – Injuries, injures, injuries. Although it’s still too early to call him another Sam Bowie, we’re definitely getting closer. I hate to include him on this list because Oden was actually having a very good season, averaging nearly 9 points and 11 rebounds, but let’s face it, for a guy as hyped as he was, he has been a monstrous disappointment, especially when you consider the start to the career Kevin Durant has had. Unfortunately for Oden, he seems to lack the smoothness and sheer understanding of the game the upper echelon of big men have - for example, his teammate LaMarcus Aldridge. He’s still not even 22 years old, but unless he dramatically alters his approach to the game and figures out a way to stay healthy, Oden is definitely on his way to becoming a major bust.

Emeka Okafor – The former Wooden Award winner and another member of SI’s All-Decade Team has not lived up to the billing he garnered out of UConn. Okafor was a shot-blocking machine when the Bobcats selected him second overall behind Dwight Howard in the 2004 NBA Draft.

He ran the floor, rebounded the ball, and displayed an uncanny ability to time his blocks. But since coming into the league, Okafor has failed to make an All-Star team and doesn’t appear to ever materialize into elite status.

Tyson Chandler – Staying on the topic of under-achieving centers, Chandler is certainly at the top of the list. Although he’s been to the playoffs four times and has had some decent seasons, Chandler was thought of as an absolute lock. The 7-footer has an abundance of tools and should be a dominant player, but he hasn’t ever come close. Despite having a premier point guard in Chris Paul for several years and an All-Star forward opposite his block in David West, Chandler never became a consistent go-to guy with his back to the basket. While he did highlight many of Paul’s alley-oops, he failed to put on the bulk or develop the touch necessary to translate into the type of player he should have been. His career statistics stand at 8 points, 9 rebounds and just 1.4 blocks, hardly justifiable for a No. 2 pick with his size and athletic ability.

Kwame Brown – Perhaps the ultimate bust of this decade, Brown represents the beginning of the end for Michael Jordan as an NBA executive. Heralded as a future All-Star, the big man spurned his commitment to Florida to become the No. 1 overall pick by the Washington Wizards in 2001. His career statistics include averages of 7 points and 6 rebounds, and a 58 percent FT percentage. Worse, he may be the most booed player by home fans I’ve ever witnessed. Side Note: I wonder what he’s doing these days off the court in Detroit? Wouldn’t that make for some good reality TV?

Darko Milicic - Darko should have his own category – that’s how much this dude has underachieved. The astronomical hype around him began when he was just 17, at the height of America's love-affair with another teenager, LeBron James. When Joe Dumars selected him second overall (after James) in the 2003 NBA Draft, he passed Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, Chris Kaman, David West and Josh Howard. (Wow, I swear I could be an NBA GM). Since entering the NBA, Milicic has averaged 5 points, 4 rebounds, and shot 59 percent from the line. That means that combined, him and Kwame Brown are averaging 12 and 10 for their careers. There is some solace in that right? Okay, you’re right, maybe not. In a recent interview, the outspoken Serbian swore about 30 times while complaining about his career and lack of opportunities to play. This 2007 exchange though - after an international affair between Serbia and Greece - is absolutely priceless:



We wish him well on his pending voyage back to Europe. Thanks for the memories Darko!

Darius Miles – Thought by some “experts” to literally be the second-coming of MJ, Miles has “slightly” underperformed. Now out of the league, the No. 3 pick in the 2000 draft by, of course, the Clippers, D-Miles averaged a staggering 10 points and 5 rebounds throughout his un-illustrious 9-year-career. At least he has maintained a viable career as an actor, most notably in “The Perfect Score” (2004), where he plays the role of a high school hoops star that needs to steal the SAT scores in order to qualify for college. Other than the stealing part, this is a direct parallel to his life, where he struggled mightily in his SAT bout. Miles is undoubtedly one of the worst picks of many by the Clips – a truly disturbing notion when you consider their history of clouded judgment.

Mike Bibby – This is a little tricky because Bibby has had a rather successful career, just not the type of one many people thought. One of the most decorated stars in Arizona high school history with the pedigree of Henry Bibby and Point Guard U, the former collegiate All-American reminds me a lot of Reggie Bush, an under-sized but effective player, a No. 2 pick, and a guy that will always – if unfairly - be thought of for what he didn’t do, not what he did do. Strange to think he’s never been named to the All-Star team. Even so, I felt it necessary to include him on this list.

Kenyon Martin – Another excellent college player who never became the star in the NBA many figured he’d become. Martin won every award possible during his tenure at Cincinnati, yet the top pick of the 2000 draft has failed to reach this level of success as a pro. A one-time All-Star, he has had a productive, yet unspectacular career, playing for both the New Jersey Nets and Denver Nuggets. He has however, found himself mired in several on, and off the court issues, where the volatile forward has been known to receive many fines, technicals, and flagrant fouls and infamously mock the kidney condition of Alonzo Mourning. Despite all of this, K-Mart’s real value stems from his “lips” tattoo on the left side of his neck – it’s glorious really. A true piece of art.

Eddy Curry – Forget the fact that he could never keep in shape. Weight issues are just the beginning for Mr. Curry. He is the first player I’ve seen where it actually seems like he’s doing you a favor by just showing up at the gym. Just watch him in pre-game warm-ups or in huddles during time-outs. He literally looks bored, as if to say, “I’m just hear to collect my check. I could give a shit about basketball.”

Talk about a guy who just never figured it out. The fourth pick in the 2001 draft has played in just 69 games over the past three seasons, and is averaging under 4 points and 2 rebounds each of the last two. Keep grinding Eddy…

Jonathan Bender – I just gave major props to Bender for his recent return to the NBA after being out of the league for four seasons, but let’s face it, Bender has unquestionably been a massive bust. The fifth pick in the 1999 NBA Draft out of high school, Bender was seen as a Tracy McGrady – Kevin Durant type, an athletic and long wing who could score the ball and defend multiple positions. He hasn’t been such. Bender’s best statistical season as a pro came during his 2000-01 campaign as a Pacer, where he averaged 7.4 points and 3.1 rebounds. Yikes! Did I mention I could be an NBA GM? Just saying.

Stromile Swift – He may not have been looked at as the brute force of Shaq, but this former LSU big man had all of the aptitude and flair to become an NBA star. Athletic and dexterous, Swift was taken second overall by the then Vancouver Grizzlies in 2000. His career highlights include an 8 point and 5 rebound average, a grossly failed performance in the 2001 dunk competition, and a recent victim of the vaunted NBA release, thanks to the 76ers. See, I told you this was difficult! We got some serious busts on our hands.

Steve Alford – This guy did it all at Indiana. The local hero received cult status when he was named a First-Team All-American as a senior in Bloomington while leading the Hoosiers to the 1987 National Title. The Sporting News ranks Alford as the 35th best college player of all time.

He was picked 26th (second round back then) by Dallas in the 1987 draft, and holds career averages of 4 points and 1 assist. Not quite the bust as his counterparts on this list, who were mostly top three selections, but nevertheless, worth mentioning. His coaching career hasn’t exactly been superb either.

Christian Laettner – Believe it or not, Laettner was a member of the original USA Dream Team in 1992 (as the only collegian) featuring the likes of MJ, Magic and Larry Bird, among others. Laettner is best known for his improbable game-winner against Kentucky in the 1992 regional final, but for me, he just breathes more light into the fact that Duke players are bad pros. Considering the outrageous success of the program, the list is rather freaky: William Avery, Mike Dunleavy, Jr., Jay Williams, Roshown McLeod, Chris Carrawell, Josh McRoberts, Shavlik Randolph, Shelden Williams, J.J. Redick, Daniel Ewing, Bobby Hurley, Johnny Dawkins, Trajan Langdon, Cherokee Parks and Danny Ferry. Now those are some busts! (To be fair, a lot of these guys – Redick and Langdon for example – weren’t projected to be great pros. But still, you can’t ignore the surplus of tarnished Dookies in and out of the league).

Laettner – who is still one of the most celebrated collegians ever with his abundance of awards - was chosen third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the ’92 Draft, after leading Duke to four straight Final Fours, and back-to-back national titles in 1991 and ’92. He holds career averages of 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists in the NBA; very solid numbers for most, but not for the hype he garnered out of school and not for the player scouts pegged him as. He has since been the benefactor of a role playing none other than himself, in a recent Vitamin Water advertisement. (I advise to watch this with extreme caution, as it may actually make you sick, as it did to me. My proposal? Deem it as inappropriate behavior, and take it off the air forever.



Honorable Mention – Guys who the scouts declared future stars, and guys sure to have you saying, “Who? Oh yeah, I remember him”- Chris Mihm, Antonio Daniels, Shawn Respert, Marcus Fizer, Robert “Tractor” Traylor, Raef LaFrentz, Kent Benson, Ed O’Bannon, LaRue Martin, Bill Garnett, Chris Washburn, Joe Smith, Ken Durrett, Denis Hopson, Sam Bowie (he probably deserves his own essay, but I refuse to waste space on him), and Ralph Sampson (not a total bust, and I hesitate to put a four-Time All-Star on this list, but he didn’t revolutionize the game the way many people figured he would).

One note: I’ve left out Michael Olowokandi on purpose, as many scouts – obviously the Clippers not included – felt he was a project nowhere near top pick talent.

So, about that GM job . . .