10 Worst NBA Draft Picks of the Last 10 Years?

Question

Andre's picks

1. 1998 - Clippers selected Michael Olowokandi

2. 2001 - Wizards selected Kwame Brown 1st overall

3. 2002 - Nuggets selected Nikoloz Tskitishvili 5th

4. 2003 - Pistons selected Darko Milicic 2nd

5. 2000 - Darius Miles 3rd pick Clippers

6. 2005 - Magic selected Fran Vazquez 11th

7. 1998 - Mavericks selected Robert 'Tractor' Traylor

8. 2004 - Raptors selected Rafael Araujo 8th (BYU)

9. 1999 - Pacers select Jonathan Bender 5th

honorable mention

2000 - Bulls selected Marcus Fizer 4th

2004 - Sonics selected Robert Swift 12th

Kwame Brown should have to pay back some type of restitution for the way he has played since he has been in the NBA. I’ve heard people make the excuse of Michal Jordan having a negative impact on his confidence. I don’t believe that because Rip Hamilton seems to have benefited a lot from playing with Jordan.

Michael Olowokandi is a good example of NBA teams overrating height. The Clippers slept on a lot of good players and Paul Pierce was one of them. Just because someone is tall does not mean they can play basketball!!! If Olowkani was 6’6, he would not be in the NBA or playing for any other team for employment.

Robert Tractor Traylor was a very bad pick. I admit I liked watching the guy in college. It was comical watching a fat kid dunk on people and get crunk. I just have one question. If a guy is fat in college do you think he is going to loose weight when gets to the NBA and has tons of money ?!

Answer 1

Here are my list of worst picks for the last 10 years (and the best for each year)

- 1998

1) C Michael Olowokandi, Los Angeles Clippers (1)

I agree with you on this one only because there was a lot of better players the Clippers could have gotten (Mike Bibby, Antawn Jamison, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, Vince Carter). He came out of a college that isn't a powerhouse team (Pacific) and wasn't even the best big man overall and the Clippers paid that price.

Best Pick: F Rashard Lewis, Seattle SuperSonics (32)

Not many scouts can figure out if he was a PF or SF with his height and weight, but he certainly had talent when he came out of Elsik High in Houston and it paid off a few years later.

-1999

2) F Jonathan Bender, Toronto Raptors (5)

Another pick I agree with but only because the Raptors made a smart choice to get Antonio Davis in the end. Of course, both team didn't have their plan work out. The Raptors actually had Richard Hamilton, Andre Miller, Shawn Marion, Ron Artest, Corey Maggette, AK-47, and Szcerbiak on the board. Another prime example of a promising big man going down the drain.

Best Pick: G Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs (57)

It might have taken several years but it was worth it for the Spurs to keep Manu, who was taken next to last of the Draft.

- 2000

3) F Stromile Swift, Vancouver Grizzlies (2)

This class is by far the worst in the last 10 years. Pick any player and they seem to be bad within a few exceptions. Swift has got to be the worst. He's an athletic big man who seems poise to breakout but never figure it out.

4) F Darius Miles, Los Angeles Clippers (3)

The curse of 2000 continues with Miles, another bad Clipper pick, who seem poise to breakout but like Swift, he never did.

- Best Pick: G Michael Redd, Milwaukee Bucks (43)

He was basically buried under the "Big 3" (Ray Allen, Sam Cassell, Glenn Robinson) but when the rebuilding mode came, Redd step up to be the best shooter in this league.

- 2001

5) C Kwame Brown, Washington Wizards (1)

The overall favorite for worst pick of the century, Brown has never live up to expectation in Jordan first year as owner of the Wizards and only play key roles for big stars via trade (Caron Bulter, Pau Gasol). It sorta reminisce of '98, when there were better players after number one (Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol, Jason Richardson, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace, Sam Dalembert, Richard Jefferson, Tony Parker).

- Best Pick: PG Gilbert Arenas, Golden State Warriors (31)

This wasn't going to be the first time the Warriors found a gem in the second round but Arenas was that example. He was to raw for people to figure out if he was a PG or SG but thank goodness that the Warriors found time for him to play.

- 2002

6) PG Jay Williams, Chicago Bulls (2)

He was the hype when he came out of Duke, being the first American player to be selected in the 2002 draft, after Yao. His stupid decision to drive a motorcycle cost him a chance of greatness, but I don't blame the Bulls one bit because he was the best at that time.

- Best Pick: PF Carlos Boozer, Cleveland Cavaliers (34)

A teammate of Williams, he wasn't even the best player out of Duke but he certainly was the closest that LBJ had for help.

- 2003

7) C Darko Milicic, Detroit Pistons (2)

The only player that stand in the way of Carmelo being number 2. Just nothing but a space hogger in the draft board full of good players

- Best Pick: PF David West, New Orleans Hornets (18)

He wasn't exactly the PF you expect but he certainly turn out alright.

- 2004

8) PG Shaun Livingston, Los Angeles Clippers (4)

Another Clipper mistake...could have been great but too much of an underachiever before the injury. There were some better picks in the draft (Devin Harris, Luol Deng, Andre Iguodala, Andris Biedrins, Al Jefferson, Josh Smith).

- Best Pick: SG Kevin Martin, Sacramento Kings (26)

Back when the Kings were still competitive, they got a steal in Martin out of Western Carolina. Who knew he could have been an franchise player a few years later on a bad Kings team?

- 2005

9) PF Ike Diogu, Golden State Warriors (9)

Another big man being overrated by scouts. He never had the minutes to showcase his talent and probably never will, bypassing Andrew Bynum and Danny Granger in the process.

Best Pick: G Monta Ellis, Golden State Warriors (40)

The Warriors might have save this draft and the franchise by stealing another pick in the second round when they got Ellis out of Lanier High in Jackson Mississippi. Just like Arenas, the scout manage to turn another dust into a source of gem and this time keeping him a few years later.

- 2006

10) PF Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors (1)

Another over hype Euro that didn't pan well in the NBA, being the first pick out of Italy. The Raptors had a choice of LaMarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy, Rudy g*y.

Best Pick: PG Rajon Rondo, Phoenix Suns (21)

This pick was f

Answer 2

your list is great but where is patrick obryant

Answer 3

You've highlighted some very good names already so I will just add 10 more to the list... in no order...

1999:  Trajan Langdon (11), William Avery (14)

2000:  Stromile Swift (2)

2001:  DaSagana Diop (8) and Rodney White (9) - both drafted ahead of Joe Johnson and Kedrick Brown (11) drafted ahead of Richard Jefferson!!!

2003:  Michael Sweetney (9)

2004:  Luke Jackson (10) drafted ahead of Biedrins, Al Jefferson and Josh Smith!

2005:  Marvin Williams (2) drafted ahead of Deron and Chris Paul

2006:  Sheldon Williams (5) drafted ahead of Brandon Roy and Rudy g*y.

Answer 4

I agree with your list, but I'd move Swift up, put Bargnani in, and take Miles out. Miles had that surgery, but he can still play.

Answer 5

No Robert 'Tractor' Taylor was a good pick at least for the Mavs because after they drafted him they traded him for Dirk dumb***