When rating past NBA drafts on the success of that year’s players the consensus seems to be that the 2000 draft is the worst of all time. I was just looking at some of the past drafts which I do on occasion, wondering who the Thunder picked that year and if he was still in the NBA. As I looked through the 2006 draft I became so appalled that I spent the next 8 hours throwing up violently. No wait, that was the Jersey Mike’s philly cheesesteak I ate before I drove up for a relaxing weekend in palm desert. I’m never going there again I can tell you that much. It pretty much ended up ruining my entire weekend. Every time I think of Jersey Mike’s I now shudder.
As I was saying, I like to look at past drafts in all sports for fun,( yea I’m really cool), and I just had to measure this draft up to the 2000 draft which is widely known as the worst of all time. I’m going to put each pick from the first round side by side, see where they are now, then add up how many are still in the NBA and how many combined all-star appearances they have. I’m sure this will be longest post of all time but I know in my heart of hearts you guys(and girls, because I have many female readers) are gonna love this. Let’s just do the top 5 in this post and we will continue on later in the week.
This was the last draft before Sam Presti took over the Thunder, then the Sonics, and about the 3rd year in a row they took a center. Let’s take a look at how he and the rest of these guys match up with the class of 2000.
Pick#1 2000
New Jersey Nets,Kenyon Martin – Helped Nets makes back to back finals and was selected to one all-star game. Injuries ended up costing him quite a bit of time over the years but he still has value and starts for the playoff bound Nuggets. An interesting side note is that Martin is the last American born college senior to be selected # 1 overall. It will probably be the last time too. That’s pretty crazy. Wikipedia also gave me these gems about him; “Martin and teammate Alonzo Mourning almost fought when Martin mocked Mourning’s life-threatening kidney disease. Martin later admitted that he had made a mistake and apologized to Mourning. Knicks forward Tim Thomas remarked on Martin’s speech impediment and eye twitching tic during a game, as well as calling Martin “fugazi”, a slang term for a fake or phoney.” We all love Tim Thomas in the streets for doing the Tony Yayo dance when he would hit a three but hearing this makes me love him even more. OK I promise not to write this much about every single player. Not a bust.
Pick #1 2006
Toronto Raptors; Andrea Bargnani– After being the first European player to go #1 overall Andrea had a rough couple first seasons but has turned into a very good offensive player. The only problem is that he’s softer then a grape and doesn’t rebound well at all for a man of his “length.” He was a nice compliment to Bosh, but Bosh is gone. He has no all-star appearances. I always feel bad for teams that have been perennially been in the lottery then when they finally do get it there is nobody worth the selection. Toronto did’t want to take LaMarcus Aldridge since he basically played the same style as Bosh. I like this guy though. Not a bust
Pick #2 2000
Vancouver Grizzlies, Stromile Swift– The first official bust! He actually played in parts of 11 NBA seasons and had a career average of 8.4 points a game. Not out of this world bad but still, for the #2 overall pick to not turn into at least a dependable starter has gotta hurt. He was such a freak athlete and I always had hope for him but he didn’t seem to have a passion for the game and never really improved. The Grizzlies have turned it around finally in part thanks to a guy you will see later on the 2006 list. For more on the Grizz check out GRIZZ NATION.Bust. The video below shows his immense athletic skills. turn down the volume as some of the music could be offensive.
Pick #2 2006
Chicago(Traded to Portland), LaMarcus Aldridge– The best of the 4 players we have discussed so far. Gradually improving each year and now playing at an all star level and should have been on the team this year. Chicago inexplicably traded him for Tyrus Thomas and some horrible European player who has hardly ever played since. I didn’t understand it then and I don’t understand it now. He would have been the perfect compliment to the athletic big men they already had. They had no offensively skilled big man and finally had to dip into free agency for Carlos Boozer this year while trading away Thomas years ago. Aldridge is much younger and already better then Boozer. This was a nice move for Portland. No way is he a bust.
Pick #3 2000
L.A. Clippers, Darius Miles– Saint Louis’s finest. D-Miles was immediately one of my favorite players and not only was he at the time the highest selected player to come straight from high school, he was also the first straight from high school to be named to the all-rookie first team. No all star appearances for Miles as he never really developed the way you would have thought for being so good as a rookie. He averaged double digits in scoring until the 2004-2005 season with Portland, capped with a career high 47 points. So the talent was there but a year or so later he had micro-fracture surgery which pretty much ended his career. He was famous enough to be put into a few movies as well. He could have been great. Have to say a bust for Clippers. Close to overall bust.
Pick #3 2006
Charlotte Bobcats, Adam Morrison-Can you say bust? Michael Jordan did it again, setting back his franchise with another horrible pick. Morrison, a volume shooter, never really shot that high of a percentage but was a big time scorer at Gonzaga. This pick was given fairly high grades across the board but the other small forward options were Rudy Gay and Brandon Roy. Ouch. Morrison lasted 2 1/2 seasons, missing one with injury, before they traded him away to the Lakers for Vladimir Radmanovic. Think about how badly these picks set back your franchise. Another reason why I would never draft American born white players in the lottery. The stats don’t lie. We can talk about that another time. BUST! This video will give you a glimpse of what his career has been like.
Pick #4 2000
Chicago Bulls, Marcus Fizer– I hated this pick as soon as they made. An undersized power forward with no outside shooting game who is not that athletic is not a guy I want in the top 5. The Bulls had 2 picks in the top 7 this year and really had a chance to improve their team. They didn’t. He only lasted 5 seasons in the NBA, playing 3 games in part of a 6th. Bust!
Pick #4 2006
Portland(traded to Chicago), Tyrus Thomas– We remember this guy as the freak athlete on LSU who played with Big baby and boosted his stock with a great NCAA tourney. Portland made a great move and swapped Aldridge for Thomas. He has shown some upside and great athleticism but still is kind of a tweener. He is a good shot blocker but still can’t really shoot. Chicago gave up on him after 3 1/2 seasons and traded him for Flip Murray, Acie Law, and a future first round pick. Flip Murray? You know your fitting in when your traded for scrubs like this. I can’t call him a complete bust because I believe he is still improving but a total bust for the Bulls for their end result of the selection. Check out the facial though.
Pick #5 2000
Orlando Magic, Mike Miller-I always liked Mike Miller but this was obviously a weak draft for him to be going in the top 5. This was the year after he helped carry Florida to the NCAA finals. His career averages of 13 points, 3 assists, and 5 rebounds a game are not bad at all. He was actually the rookie of the year and even played for team USA in 2007. He had some nice years in Memphis playing for a couple of 50 win team and averaged a career high 18.5 points in the 2006-07 season. On another note he has been traded 3 times which is never really a good sign for a player and is now having a horrible year trying to be a role player for the Heat. I thought he would be absolutely perfect for this team but a thumb injury in the pre-season seems to have messed up his stroke. When he is on he is a gifted shooter, passer, and solid rebounder. Not a bust.
Pick #5 2006
Atlanta Hawks, Shelden Williams-Williams alone might make this draft worse. He is that bad. How he is still in the NBA blows my mind. After Atlanta screwed up the year before drafting Bremerton, WA’s own Marvin Williams over Chris Paul and Deron Williams, they decided to take another power forward even though they already had WIlliams and Josh Smith in the front court. Does anything make fans angrier then selecting somebody who plays the exact position as their other young up and coming players. I knew this was a horrible decision when they made it. Anyone with any sense could have seen this coming. He has been on 6 teams in 5 seasons. I would rather call up someone from the NDBL. He is terrible. Monumental bust. This video below is a must see. Yikes!
Speaking of Marvin Williams, I know many considered him to have the most upside in the draft but he never seemed like a power forward and they already had Josh Smith at the small forward spot so why pick another guy who plays the same position when there are two potentially great point guards on the table and that’s your main need? Ridiculous decision making.
Ok wow, I can’t believe I was going to try and fit in both entire first round comparisons. I suppose I will do 5 at a time and post once or twice a week depending whats going on with the Thunder. I know I didn’t get to their pick and this is a Thunder website, but we will get there.
So far we have 1 one star selection for the 2000 draftee’s and 0 for the 2006 draftees, though Aldridge deserved it this year. Swift, Miles, and Fizer are all out of the league for team 2000 and Morrison is gone and Williams should be out shortly. After 5 selections though I would have to say the 2006 draft is better but we have much more to discuss. Stay tuned of Thunder recap of tonights game against the Jazz and look forward to part 2 of this draft special.