In the NBA, there are few things more valuable than a high draft pick. While some teams have taken the approach over the last few years to build through free agency and trading, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, many teams still build through the draft.
For the most part, teams are built by using high-draft positions, which is why teams have taken up "tanking" over the last decade. Sadly for NBA fans, not all players that are drafted early work out. Throughout basketball history, there have been many bad draft busts who have harmed their teams more than helped them.
10 Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist wasn't a bad NBA player by any means, but he was still a draft bust. The small forward out of Kentucky was taken in the 2012 draft at number two by the Charlotte Hornets. He was taken directly after Anthony Davis, and ahead of names such as Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal.
Kidd-Gilchrist had a lot of moments in the league but proved to be inconsistent. That, combined with injury issues that plagued the second overall pick saw him out of the NBA by 2020 but hadn't had meaningful playing time for years prior to that point.
9 Kwame Brown
Despite the best efforts to convince fans otherwise in his post-NBA career, Kwame Brown is still a bust. Although he's deserved less flack over the years, he was always going to be a bust given his high-draft position, being taken first overall in 2001.
Brown had a lengthy NBA career, playing 13 years for everyone from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Washington Wizards. However, he didn't do much, being relegated to a bench player for most of his career, which isn't what you want out of a first-pick.
8 Jay Williams
Jay Williams is a tragic story that it's almost unfair to label him a draft bust. However, given his second overall position, as well as expectations and lack of playing time, that's sadly what the 2002 draft pick is.
Williams was drafted by the Chicago Bulls and had a good, but not a great rookie season. However, he suffered devastating injuries in a car crash before his second season. Despite years of rehabbing and working, he never played another game. In his post-career, he's become a basketball commentator.
7 Derrick Williams
Derrick Williams's basketball career is a tale of two halves. In the NBA, he's a draft bust. Drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2011 at the second overall pick, expectations were high, but he didn't live up to them.
Williams was an inconsistent player who was out of the NBA by 2018. On the bright side, he's become a great player overseas, having won multiple championships in other leagues.
6 Larue Martin
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Larue Martin is one of the worst NBA draft busts of all-time, but doesn't get discussed much these days. Taken first overall in 1972 by the Portland Trail Blazers, he's likely forgotten due to his quiet post-career life and how short is run was.
Martin played only four seasons before leaving the NBA. While many names can point to being overdrafted, or having injury issues, that's not the case here. Martin was just straight-up bad.
5 Greg Oden
Greg Oden is an interesting case as a draft bust. Having been drafted first overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2007, expectations were sky-high for the Ohio State product. Sadly, he was compromised by the time he hit the NBA court.
Oden wasn't bad on the court when he was on it, in fact, he was pretty decent. However, his injury issues lead him to being out for years a time. He was out of the league by 2014 due to multiple knee injuries.
4 Hasheem Thabeet
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Hasheem Thabeet is another player that is a draft bust that doesn't have much to blame. Having been drafted second overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2009 draft, hopes were high for the 7 foot three inch center.
Instead, he proved to be a liability both on defense and offense. Thabeet was done being a starter by the end of his rookie season, and was out of the NBA by 2014.
3 Anthony Bennett
One has to feel bad for Anthony Bennett just a little bit. He was drafted first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2013, surpassing most expectations that he would be drafted later in the first round. He was also drafted ahead of Giannis Antetokounmpo, which didn't help matters.
Bennett never became a consistent NBA player, and has bounced around the league (and even overseas) since being drafted. Despite trying to play in the G-League and trying to always improve his game, he's never been able to find sustained success.
2 Adam Morrison
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Adam Morrison is the most accomplished player to likely be considered a draft bust, as he won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. However, he did very little besides ride the bench for those titles.
Morrison was drafted third overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2006 draft. While his rookie season was decent, he never reached those heights and was out of the NBA by 2012.
1 Darko Miličić
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Darko Miličić, like Adam Morrison won an NBA championship, getting a ring with the 2004 Detroit Pistons. However, he contributed even less than his fellow draft bust. Having been drafted by the team in 2003 at second overall, he was drafted behind LeBron James, and ahead of names such as Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and Carmelo Anthony.
Miličić never proved to be more than a bench player in his 12-year run. His poor played, combined with who was drafted around him have the big man as arguably the worst draft bust in NBA history.