In the ever-evolving world of professional basketball, the NBA constantly witnesses the rise of young stars who promise to redefine the game. But for every LeBron James or Kevin Durant, there are those who, despite the hype and promise, fall far short of expectations. In the NBA draft, where dreams are made and shattered, we explore ten prospects from the last decade who, despite being touted as the next big thing, ultimately turned out to be nothing but huge busts on the hardwood. From high school sensations to one-and-done college phenoms, this retrospective journey unveils the harsh reality that not all glittering prospects are gold in the world of professional basketball.
10. Jonathan Isaac
Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac shouldn’t have been on this list had he been healthy. He’s suffered tough injuries forcing him to miss three years of NBA action. Isaac is also a very controversial athlete with his opinions and beliefs.
Though the 2017 6th overall pick hasn’t shown what he can really do yet, we’re just gonna put him in the 10th place. JI has returned to the court in the 2023-2024 season and we’re hoping he gets back his mojo. Is he one of the NBA’s biggest busts? Probably not.
9. Marvin Bagley III
Getting picked ahead of Luka Doncic may have doubled down the idea that Marvin Bagley III is a bust. The former Duke standout was selected 2nd overall in 2018 by the Sacramento Kings. However, the 6-foot-11 athletic forward did not live up to his potential. He was selected in the All-Rookie First Team, but for 4 seasons in Sacramento, Bagley III never improved.
Early in his career, he was already plagued with injuries, proving to be the culprit of his decline. In the 2021-2022 season, the Kings finally decided to trade the young star to the Detroit Pistons.
8. James Wiseman
2020 2nd overall pick James Wiseman was basically a prospect that came out of high school. He dropped out of college after only playing three games due to a massive suspension. He left the University of Memphis to focus on his training ahead of the 2020 NBA draft. With such an incredible physique and athletic attributes, it’s not surprising why the 7-foot center was selected by the Golden State Warriors.
Wiseman really had all the tools and hardware to become a star. Unfortunately, he was drafted into a system that didn’t allow him to make mistakes and grow. Surely enough, in his third season, Wiseman would be traded to the Detroit Pistons, just like Marvin Bagley III. But, it seems that the big man has found his footing in Detroit.
7. Josh Jackson
Josh Jackson was putting up pretty decent numbers as a rookie. Unfortunately, it’s far from what the league thought he would become.
The Phoenix Suns drafted Jackson in hopes of finding another guy to pair with rising star Devin Booker. Well, it’s safe to say that Jackson had no part in the Suns’ success in recent memory. By 2022, at just 26 years old, Jackson would be out of the NBA. He signed with the Raptors in 2022 but was quickly waived a few months later.
6. Emmanuel Mudiay
Would it still shock you that Emmanuel Mudiay is not playing in the NBA right now? The 2015 7th overall pick played in China before coming into the NBA, but that professional experience didn’t earn him much success in the league hence why he is one of the busts in the past decade or so.
The point guard was merely a role player who could still contribute with 10 points and 3 assists every night. He had his moments, but those moments are long gone.
5. Frank Ntilikina
The 2017 draft class may have introduced us to superstars like Jayson Tatum, De’Aaron Fox, Lauri Markkanen, Donovan Mitchell, and Bam Adebayo. However, this class also holds some prospects who turned into busts like Jonathan Isaac, Josh Jackson, Dennis Smith Jr., and Frank “The Tank” Ntilikina.
Ntilikina was deemed to be a future star for the New York Knicks, an organization that had been the laughingstock of the NBA before Julius Randle, R.J. Barrett, and Jalen Brunson saved them. Unfortunately, Ntilikina wasn’t that guy. As a top pick in 2017, expectations were high on the French guard. The 25-year-old PG is still in the league though, but as a bench warmer for the Dallas Mavericks who already has Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Seth Curry, Dante Exum, and Tim Hardaway Jr.
4. Frank Kaminsky
Frank Who? One of Michael Jordan’s worst moves as the Charlotte Hornets owner was drafting Wisconsin Badgers big man Frank Kaminsky. Aside from LaMelo Ball and Malik Monk, the Hornets have always failed in drafting, so it’s really not a shocker anymore.
As a center, it’s surprising that Kaminsky never cracked more than 5 rebounds a game in his 8 seasons in the NBA. Kaminsky left the league in 20 and took his talents to Europe as he signed with KK Partizan NIS in the EuroLeague.
3. Jahlil Okafor
Is Jahlil Okafor a good basketball player? Heck yeah. The Duke legend had incredible footwork and post moves before even becoming an NBA player. However, his game didn’t translate to the evolved style of play in the NBA.
As a rookie, Jahlil Okafor was already putting up 18 points and 7 rebounds and was a runner-up for the 2016 Rookie of the Year. He was part of the Sixers’ “The Process” but really had no impact on what Philly is today. Had Okafor been drafted in the 2000s, he’d be a problem in the paint. Unfortunately, he was not.
2. Dragan Bender
The 4th pick of the 2016 draft, Dragan Bender, only played for five seasons in the NBA. The Phoenix Suns had a major slip-up after drafting Bender over Buddy Hield, Jamal Murray, Domantas Sabonis, or even the reliable big man Jakob Poeltl. But, the Suns made it worse by trading for the 8th pick and drafting another bust in the class – Marquese Chriss.
1. And the top 1 of the biggest busts in NBA history: Anthony Bennett
There’s no bigger bust here than the 2013 No. 1 overall pick, Anthony Bennett. Honestly, the Canadian basketball player could even go down as the worst first-pick in NBA history.
Whatever happened to Anthony Bennet? Bennet was for real a straight-up NBA bust. A lot of fans were outraged that he got picked first overall back in 2013. Though to be fair, aside from Rudy Gobert, Victor Oladipo, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, that draft seems to be very unsatisfactory. He only played 4 years in the league and never averaged more than 5 points per game. Later on, he left the NBA to play overseas to become … an overseas bust. Hopefully, Bennet will bounce back in the latter part of his basketball career.
