5 times NBA teams drafted a bust before a star player
The biggest busts in the NBA have been players drafted high in the first round who just never displayed the talent they were perceived to have. When there is such a large disparity between expectation and production, you end up with a bust.
I wouldn’t consider a player who had no chance to play due to injury a bust. He had no opportunity to show what he is capable of. Those that threw away their careers after creating so much hype and attention to themselves fit in perfectly on this list, as do those drafted ahead of more successful players.
Keeping in mind the definitions above, let’s look at five times in recent years that a bust was drafted before a star player.
#5 Wesley Johnson
Wesley Johnson was selected with the fourth overall pick of the 2010 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves elected to pass on Paul George, Demarcus Cousins, Gordon Hayward, and Greg Monroe.
The Timberwolves needed a wing player, making Paul George the ideal candidate. While Johnson was busy fighting his way out of the league, George was pushing LeBron to the limit twice in the Eastern conference finals with the Pacers.
Wesley is now a journeyman, filling up roster spaces with no significant role on his team. I really blame poor scouting on this one.