Top 10 all-time worst NBA Draft picks

Choices, investments, professions, entire careers—every year in the NBA hinge on the same moment. Shortly after celebrating the champion, comes the draft. While these drafts can be spectacular, some turn sour. These busts are more commonly known as “busts.”

It’s one thing to make a bad pick, but it’s quite another to cost your franchise an entire decade. These are the extreme cases we’ll examine today.

Note: We’re judging the worst pick here, not just the worst player. In other words, our ranking is based on a wide range of factors.

10) Pervis Ellison : Let’s get straight to the point with our 10th pick! A physical specimen with formidable efficiency both near the basket and on the boards, Pervis Ellison dominated the NCAA. In his freshman year, the center captured the NCAA title as the tournament’s MVP. It’s hard to imagine a more promising college career. Entering the very first nationally televised draft in 1989, the Sacramento Kings set their sights on him. Selected by David Stern before the competition, NBA fans thought they were witnessing the beginning of a legendary career like Patrick Ewing’s four years earlier. Nicknamed “Never Nervous Pervis” because of his Olympian calm, his teammates quickly dubbed him “Out of Service Pervis.” Indeed, the Georgian is, unfortunately, the archetype of the giant with feet of clay. His franchise would become fully aware of this during his rookie season, which was far less glorious than at the lower level. This fate was all the more frustrating given that, with the Washington Bullets, Pervis Ellison had a double-double average of over 65 games in the 1991-1992 season. The potential was there, but his body had other ideas. Even if it wasn’t a memorable draft class, big names like Nick Anderson, Mookie Blaylock, Tim Hardaway, B.J. Armstrong, and Vlade Divac were circulating. However, this isn’t enough to call it a HUGE failure.

9) Kwame Brown : Standing at 6’10”, averaging a double-double (20 points and 13.3 rebounds) and 5.8 blocks per game in high school, and playing for the prestigious McDonald’s All-America team… Let’s be honest, just looking at the stats, any one of us would have jumped on the Kwame Brown bandwagon. Head and shoulders above the rest in high school, no one could quantify his potential. And once he honed his skills in the NCAA, the NBA would naturally come his way. Except that the American would never play on a college court. On cloud nine, he decided to enter the 2001 NBA draft directly, just like Kobe Bryant had done a little while before him. And so, the Washington Wizards, led by Michael Jordan, decided to select him first overall despite his obvious technical shortcomings. But getting too close to the sun too soon can be fatal. Since even the Black Mamba struggled to adapt to the demands of the NBA, any high schooler, no matter how talented, will have difficulty performing quickly. This is especially true when their primary asset is their physique. Immature, arrogant, resistant to advice, prone to conflict, and just below the competition. His free-throw average (57%) perfectly encapsulates his lack of fundamentals. This is the cocktail that ultimately benefits the capital’s franchise, while on the other side, players like Pau Gasol and Tony Parker are dominating. Kwame Brown nevertheless endured for 14 years in the NBA, playing for 8 different teams. A career in which he only once averaged more than 10 points per game in a season. A significant flop, but one that should be considered in light of the available draft picks and his longevity at the highest level.

8) Chris Washburn : A body like an eagle on steroids, controlled by the brain of a sparrow. That’s how you could sum up Chris Washburn during his time in the NBA in a single sentence. The fact that his dumbest picture is of him yawning wide open on the Warriors’ bench says a lot about the man. This concentrated dose of size, mobility, and power drove NBA scouts wild during his mere 41 NCAA games. At North Carolina State, the center shone but already displayed a certain arrogance, particularly academically. These warning signs were completely ignored by the Golden State Warriors. Selected third overall in the 1986 draft, he wasted no time in exposing his flaws. Hold on tight to what follows, because compared to this, injuries and questionable lifestyle habits pale in comparison. For one season and one month in California, he stole stereo equipment, skipped practices, arrived late to games, missed flights and buses, and, most importantly, experimented with cocaine. Not to mention his beastly physique transformed into that of a Sunday league player. A reserve for the Hawks during his sophomore year, his numerous drug violations led the NBA to simply expel him. The end! Two seasons and then he was gone. Barely arrived, already vanished! Chris Washburn is probably the biggest flop in the history of the North American league. Especially since, according to one of his former cellmates, the top-three pick of the 1986 Draft played as a reserve on his prison team! It’s worth noting that alongside him in the Green Room were players like Mark Price, Dennis Rodman, Jeff Hornacek, Kevin Duckworth, and many others. His third-round pick status and the absence of any major basketball legends work in his favor in this ranking.

7) LaRue Martin : Recently, we’ve been treated to the running gag of the Detroit Pistons being unable to land one of the top three picks despite disastrous seasons. But for a long time, the Portland Trail Blazers truly embodied this loser persona. A rather sad legend forged on the night of the 1972 draft. Yet another center, yet another player ahead of schedule for the NCAA. During his freshman year at Loyola Chicago, he averaged a double-double. A practice he would become accustomed to throughout his youth. And mind you, we’re not talking about a double-double here, but a DOUBLE-DOUBLE (18.7 points and 17.6 rebounds in 1970-1971). Far from being a unanimous choice, Portland gave their first pick to the Chicago native. And this, right under the nose of Bob McAdoo – future Rookie of the Year and MVP. The power forward would actually score more points in his rookie season than LaRue Martin did in his entire career. Not to mention future Hall of Famers Paul Westphal, Krešimir Ćosić, and especially Julius Erving. Yet, initially, he was given a chance. No notable injuries, no bad behavior, no coaches angry with him. No, LaRue Martin was just a step below. Averaging less than 5 points per game in his first two seasons, he failed to establish himself. Ultimately blocked from the rotation by Bill Walton in 1974, he retired in 1976… one year before Portland’s championship! The career of the first bust in history, according to many observers, is littered with poor decisions.

6) Joe Smith : From NCAA Player of the Year to the 9th pick of a struggling NBA franchise. This is the story of Joe Smith! The tale of a power forward brimming with talent who—like most of his peers in this ranking—destroyed the college league for two years. Arriving in the 1995 draft with his Naismith College Player of the Year trophy, the American was the overwhelming favorite ahead of Antonio McDyess, Rasheed Wallace, Kevin Garnett, and Theo Ratliff. In retrospect, this draft class is considered one of the richest at the power forward position in history. A godsend for the Golden State Warriors, who selected Joe Smith first overall. On paper, nothing catastrophic, and the numbers didn’t look bad either. Looking at his stat sheet, history seemed to be unfolding. A member of the All-Rookie First Team, his sophomore campaign was quite impressive, averaging 18.7 points and 8.5 rebounds. Numbers are good, but what happens on the court is better! His somewhat slight build prevented him from truly impacting the paint, and his fragile long-range shooting (23.8% from three-point range) hampered his transition to a catch-and-shoot role, for example. The Warriors realized their mistake and stemmed the bleeding midway through the 1997-98 season. This marked the beginning of a steady decline for Joe Smith, who became a “Dennis Schröder” type of player: 11 different franchises in 16 years. This chronic instability resulted from a freefall in his statistics. The first overall pick became a journeyman, a globetrotter. Meanwhile, the other members of his Top 5 draft picks earn at least one All-Star selection, or even end up in the Hall of Fame (hello Kevin Garnett!). Sometimes, franchises are willing to pass up a talent simply because he plays the same position as an already established player. It’s a difficult excuse to understand, but still plausible. In this case, Golden State really has no valid pretext. There were plenty of elite power forwards out there! Joe Smith’s case, however, doesn’t make the cut for the Top 5 because he is nonetheless a player who has had a long career and scored consistently in the NBA.

5) Michael Olowokandi : Earlier, we rightly criticized the Blazers. But in the game of franchises prone to busts, the Clippers are actually quite something. They had top-three draft picks for Benoit Benjamin, Danny Ferry, Darius Miles… In short, a bunch of no-names. A long list, but at the very top is Michael Olowokandi. Coming out of the small Californian Pacific University where he excelled, “Kandi Man” had the NBA salivating. Some even thought that the 1998 draft would bring us the next Hakeem Olajuwon. In addition to being Nigerian, the young 7-foot giant possessed exceptional athletic and physical qualities. Ahead of Dirk Nowitzki, Vince Carter, and Paul Pierce, the Los Angeles franchise used its first-pack card to secure the services of the African. The problem is that having an exceptional physique isn’t enough in the NBA. The NCAA allows big men to hone their skills. It’s a crucial task that Michael Olowokandi clearly didn’t undertake and never will. The lethal weapon capable of stopping Shaq ultimately proved to be nothing more than a defensive role player at the end of the bench. His only notable quality was his ability to string together blocks, nothing more. Lacking any ball-handling skills and particularly slow, “Kandi Man” spent his career in obscurity. This is in stark contrast to the previously mentioned players who went on to win championships and MVP awards. In hindsight, his stats weren’t so disastrous. However, the label of first overall pick distorts everything.

4) Jonny Flynn : Sports are rife with constant comparisons. Who is the GOAT, Jordan or LeBron (even if Paris Basketball has already delivered its verdict)? Could Alperen Şengün be the next Nikola Jokic? Who will dominate, Chet Holmgren or Victor Wembanyama?… The draft stands out precisely as the foundation of this storytelling, these long-distance rivalries. One of the favorite scenarios for basketball fans occurs when two players with similar styles are ranked at the top of the mock drafts. And naturally, when one is selected ahead of the other, they immediately face additional pressure, as does their franchise. This is the story of Jonny Flynn and the Minnesota Timberwolves. A skilled point guard with the Syracuse Orange, the New Yorker perfectly combines pure scoring with pinpoint passing. Meanwhile, in North Carolina, a slender, one-year-old shooting prodigy was setting NCAA courts ablaze. Arriving in the 2009 draft, the question arose: which of the two would be selected first overall? The picks changed. Blake Griffin headed to the Clippers, James Harden landed in OKC, and the Timberwolves snagged point guard Ricky Rubio thanks to Washington’s fifth pick. This allowed them to pick for the second consecutive time. They selected Jonny Flynn, while our mystery player flew to California. His name? Stephen Curry! The decision didn’t immediately seem catastrophic. Although he was behind in the Rookie of the Year race, the Minnesota player had a respectable rookie season. However, an injury significantly impacted his trajectory. He would never recapture a trace of his potential and would leave the NBA in 2012. Meanwhile, Stephen Curry would simply revolutionize his sport and earn a spot in our Top 10 list of the best NBA players of all time. We rightly talk about the four-time champion, but we also included players like DeMar DeRozan and Jrue Holiday. An eternal regret for the Timberwolves, somewhat eased by the fact that it was “only” the 6th pick.

3) Sam Bowie : “The man drafted before Michael Jordan.” Today, more people call Sam Bowie by this nickname than by his real name, his main claim to fame being his unsuccessful draft position in 1984. Yet, in the NCAA, few signs foreshadowed such a flop. Named player of the year during his freshman year, the man capable of regularly averaging 28 points and 18 rebounds even nearly participated in the 1980 Olympics before the United States ultimately boycotted the event. A magnificent record punctuated by a single blemish: injury. The 7-foot-1 center did indeed spend some time in the infirmary during his time at Kentucky. Even worse, it was later revealed that he had lied about his health in the lead-up to the draft in order to reassure various franchises. A 1984 draft full of mishaps! Houston selected Akeem Olajuwon first overall, followed by the Blazers, who were in a bind. At the time, the team was looking for a center to replace Bill Walton and already had a promising shooting guard in Clyde Drexler. Their choice fell on Sam Bowie. What a mistake… Right after, Michael Jordan signed with the Bulls while John Stockton went to the Jazz. Some will say that this miss can be mitigated by the Oregon franchise’s need for a center. Except that this draft class also included Charles Barkley, Otis Thorpe, and even Kevin Willis. And well, whatever you say, passing up the GOAT remains unforgivable. Sam Bowie’s lies about his physique caught up with him immediately, and injuries piled up. The worst part is that even when he was at his best, he still fell into the category of an average player. Capable of rebounding and sinking shots, he wasn’t a dominant force overall. He revived his career during the 1989-1990 season, his first with the New Jersey Nets. However, the comparison to the rest of his generation was so painful that the general public overlooked it. After a 10-year career coupled with 511 missed games, the Pennsylvania native left the court. ESPN named him the biggest bust in NBA Draft history across all sports, even though, compared to our top two picks, his level remained acceptable.

2) Anthony Bennett : If he falls just short of the throne, Anthony Bennett will still be remembered as the worst number one draft pick of all time. A standout in the NCAA with the UNLV Rebels, the power forward benefited from the hype surrounding his All-NBA selection. Barely 20 years old, the freshman entered the 2013 NBA Draft hoping to be selected in the first round. A top-10 selection already seemed overly optimistic about him. Admittedly, it wasn’t his most promising year, but other names were circulating before his. The music started, David Stern stepped forward, envelope in hand, and uttered the long-awaited words: “With the first pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select… Anthony Bennett from UNLV.” Victor Oladipo’s reaction spoke volumes about the general astonishment caused by this selection. Subsequently, players like C.J. McCollum, Steven Adams, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Rudy Gobert were called up. That’s quite a lineup of MVPs and Defensive Player of the Year. From his very first minutes in the NBA, the Canadian seemed completely outclassed. Traded to the Cavs after just one year in a deal involving Kevin Love, Anthony Bennett never averaged more than 10 points per game during his four NBA seasons, playing for four different teams, three of which finished last in the regular season. He also made history by becoming the first number one draft pick ever to be sent to the G League. Later, he would lift the 2017 EuroLeague trophy with Fenerbahçe as a valuable reserve. This difficult period, compounded by depression, ultimately closed the door on his NBA career. Not made for the very highest level, Anthony Bennett nevertheless respected his sport, unlike our sad GOAT of the day.

1) Darko Milicic : An NBA champion in his rookie season! What more could you ask for? This statement highlights the shrewd move made by the Detroit Pistons in the 2003 draft. Imagine going from tanking to stopping the Lakers dynasty of Shaq and Kobe in the space of a year! This feat was surely due to a radical change brought about by the recruitment of a prospect, an all-time gem. Selected second overall, right behind LeBron James, Darko Milicic should have been that player, right? Not at all! On the contrary, the Serbian proved to be more of a liability than a true game changer. The only player in this ranking who hadn’t played in the NCAA, the center made a name for himself back home at KK Hemofarm. Hailed as a huge European prospect, he impressed everyone during a legendary workout with the Pistons. According to several accounts, the 7-foot (2.13m) giant delivered a sensational, unprecedented performance, including 16/17 from mid-range. With stars in his eyes, Detroit was convinced they had pulled off one of the greatest steals in NBA history. He was chosen, to everyone’s surprise, over Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, David West, Boris Diaw, Kyle Korver… all legends of their sport. Like Sam Bowie in 1984, the 2003 draft class was one of the finest the NBA has ever seen. The glitter immediately turned into a nightmare. Beyond being an inherently mediocre player, Darko Milicic was above all a bad boy. Not on the court, but off it: hot-tempered, drunk at practices, with an oversized ego… Injuries can happen, but sometimes you just don’t have the necessary talent. However, a whole new level was reached with the Serbian player. His rookie season ended with an average of 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds per game, one made free throw during the entire playoff run, and a broken hand during a futile dunk attempt. And during his nine years in the NBA, he never took advantage of the opportunities some franchises offered him. The player for whom the Pistons missed out on a roster of future Hall of Famers is now a farmer and fights in MMA. All of this, it should be remembered, stemmed from a single workout.

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