10 Recent Draft Picks These NBA Teams Regret

The NBA draft is vitally important for all franchises. With the incentive of a supermax contract from the original team, many teams that drafted the superstar, have the leverage on giving them the best offer to maintain their star with the original team that drafted them. NBA teams have recently seen their first or second-year star completely change the franchise, such as Ja Morant changing the trajectory of the Memphis Grizzlies.

However, on the flip side, there have been some head-scratching decisions in the NBA draft that have led to the franchises still staying at the bottom, or not going as high as they could due to a bad draft pick.

10 Romeo Langford - Boston Celtics

Romeo Langford was the final lottery pick of the 2019 NBA draft. Langford coming out of Indiana University was seen as an excellent bucket-getter, who averaged the third most points per game in Indiana University history by a freshman. However,

Langford still may have come out of college year too early, as he really struggled in his first season, typically playing in the G league instead of for the Celtics. Through three seasons, Langford only started 11 games, before being traded to the San Antonio Spurs, where he is still yet to start for that franchise. Hopefully, next season is the year Langford begins to find that form he had in college.

9 Jalen Smith - Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns have had some terrible pics in the last decade. The franchise will feature multiple times on this list but the first one is forward/center, Jalen Smith, who the Suns took 10th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. The Suns already had Deandre Ayton on the roster and he did not seem to fit with Phoenix at the time of the draft.

Fast forward to the last two seasons, and Smith's role never made sense, as he was ultimately traded to the Indiana Pacers last season where he had begun to find some form, averaging a career-high 13.4 points per game.

8 Sekou Doumbouya - Detroit Pistons

Sekou Doumbouya was the first pick outside of the lottery in the 2019 NBA draft, being selected by the Detroit Pistons. Doumbouya played less than half of the NBA season in his rookie year. However, in his limited games, Doumbouya was unable to generate any impressive stats, having a career-high 3.1 rebounds per game, which is baffling for a forward standing at 6 feet 9 inches.

Doumbouya spent another season with the Pistons before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets. Doumbouya was traded again to the Houston Rockets and then waived. Doumbouya was picked up by the LA Lakers before being released where he remains a free agent.

7 Cam Reddish - Atlanta Hawks

Cam Reddish was the third star on the Duke Blue Devils team that saw teammates Zion Williamson, and RJ Barrett also declared for the 2019 NBA draft. Reddish was of course not as highly touted as the other two but was seen as one of the best picks in the top ten.

However, after two seasons the Atlanta Hawks obviously do not think so as they traded Reddish to the New York Knicks before the trade deadline this past season. The Knicks already may be regretting the trade itself, as they traded Kevin Knox and a protected future first for Reddish, who missed the rest of the season after 15 games played with a shoulder injury.

6 Killian Hayes - Detroit Pistons

Killian Hayes was touted to be one of the bright stars of the 2019 NBA draft and he just hasn't lived up to the hype. Hayes was phenomenal in his under 16 and under 17 international competitions, even winning a gold medal in the MVP for the 2017 FIBA under 16 European championship. However, his game has not transitioned like many of the other great European talents that have been drafted in the NBA recently.

In his two seasons with the Detroit Pistons, he averaged 6.9 points per game and 4.5 assists per game. As Detroit is beginning to find itself making improvements in its rebuild, there will be many questions on if Hayes is a part of the said rebuild.

5 Josh Jackson - Phoenix Suns

Josh Jackson was chosen by the Phoenix Suns with the fourth pick in the 2017 NBA draft. Jackson selection was between Jayson Tatum been selected third by the Boston Celtics and De'Aaron Fox been selected fifth by the Sacramento Kings.

Jackson was supposed to be a dynamic scorer, with NBA analyst and former player Jalen Rose even saying that he thought that Jackson was the best player in the entire draft. However, the suns wish that they did not listen to that advice as he was traded to the Detroit Pistons just two seasons into his career, and is now a free agent.

4 Markelle Fultz - Philadelphia 76ers

Markelle Fultz his story is one of the most head-scratching and unique NBA stories in the last decade. Fultz was considered the best player in the 2017 NBA Draft, which is why the Philadelphia 76ers chose fault with the first pick. However, after coming off of an impressive season at the University of Washington, Fultz changed his jump shot and it completely changed the player that he is.

Fultz began to become almost a nonexistent shooter, and injuries piled up for the young guard. The 76ers would end up trading Fultz to the Orlando Magic, where he is attempting to rebuild his career.

3 Marvin Bagley III - Sacramento Kings

It was even shocking at the time when Marvin Bagley III was drafted ahead of Luka Doncic. Bagley was selected second overall in the 2018 NBA Draft over the likes of Doncic, Jaren Jackson Jr, Trae Young, etc. At the time, many thought Bagley, coming out of Duke, was the next Chris Bosh as a forward who could stretch the floor and still be a force in the paint.

However, Bagley came off the bench for most of his rookie season, playing 62 games and averaging 14.9 points per game. Unfortunately for Bagley that would be his career high in points and games as injuries and poor performances over four seasons resulted in the Kings trading Bagley to the Pistons in 2022.

2 James Wiseman - Golden State Warriors

James Wiseman was taken second overall by the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors desperately needed a star center to complete their dynasty team. However, that is not what Wiseman has ended up being, and the Warriors passed up LaMelo Ball who has proven to be a superstar in the NBA already after two seasons. Wiseman only played three games in his collegiate career for Memphis, before being eligible to play due to receiving money from Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway.

It is curious to think about if that college time could've benefited Wiseman, as his rookie year was disappointing for where he was drafted and he missed the entire 2021-2022 NBA season. Hopefully, this is the year that the Warriors get the production that they have been hoping to get from Wiseman.

1 DeAndre Ayton - Phoenix Suns

DeAndre Ayton Suns — © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Although Marvin Bagley being taken over Luka Doncic is an even worse move, selecting Deandre Ayton over Doncic, while having Doncic's former head coach, Igor Kokoskov, as the head coach at the time is a baffling decision that still does not make sense to this day. Luckily for the Phoenix Suns, it doesn't look like the worst decision because Ayton is an incredible player.

The Suns have turned it around with Ayton, Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and a supporting cast that is one of the best in the league, but there's no doubt that replacing Ayton with Doncic would have made the Suns a title favorite for the foreseeable future.