Greg Oden
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Longtime fans of the Portland Trailblazers likely endured even more nightmares of “what if,” after watching the 2017 NBA Finals. The Trailblazers held the #1 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, which they infamously used on center Greg Oden from Ohio State. In their defense, the pick was somewhat of a no-brainer at the time, as Oden was a ballyhooed 7-footer that was described as a “once-in-a-decade player.” But Oden’s career was finished before it ever got started, due to a tragic string of injuries. To add insult to those injuries, the player taken after Oden was Kevin Durant: the eight-time All-Star who won the NBA MVP award in 2014, just won the NBA Finals and Finals MVP.
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Daniel says
Busts are not players with injuries… it’s just unfortunate… Most of these players listed were limited due to injuries their first or 2nd year in the NBA… an example of my point is to look at Derrick Rose… lasted more than a few years but and an MVP player… but after his injury, he was nowhere near himself and has never recovered…Most of these guys had the talent but you take away their strengths (speed, quickness, jumping ability etc.) and their an average player at best… Look at Isaiah Thomas… he’s nowhere near the same player after his hip injury…he may recover…but, if not…was he a bust?
Michael Bush says
big difference between injury busts and simply playing bad busts.
gman3b says
Uhm…Shawn Bradley?
7’6″ stiff taken 2nd in 1993?
Tom O'Brien says
could there ever be a bigger draft bust than Len Bias? Dude died of a drug overdose 2 days after being the number 2 overall pick….
Troy Danley says
Too soon!! Lol!!
AnotherDem says
Jon Koncak, Picked number (5th overall 1985). I just amazed myself that he was ever picked so high.
Tom says
Joe Barry Carroll (#1 1980) belongs on this list.
Golden State traded C Robert Parish and a first round draft pick to Boston for the #1 pick of the 1980 draft. Boston used that pick to draft Kevin McHale. Parish was said to be too soft for a 7′ center – he didn’t rebound enough. With McHale and Larry Bird around him, Parish didn’t have to be an enforcer. The Celtics went to four straight NBA Finals (1984-87) and won two rings.
Carroll was even softer than Parish, rarely rebounding. He played apathetically – his nickname “Joe Barely Cares” was well-earned. Teammates sometimes yelled at Carroll to get out of their way. In 1984, Carroll demanded a new contract and left for a year to play in Europe after Golden State refused. Incredibly, the Warriors took him back.