Worst NBA Draft comparisons in history
Good imaginations make a great NBA scout. Throughout a player's high school and college careers or even during the NBA Draft Combine, every single team across the league spend a lot of time and money into prospect scouting in the hopes of finding the next Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant.
It is, however, worth noting that there have been instances that NBA scouts were very wrong. In most cases, the worst scouting reports in NBA history are the result of a narrow inspection process and imaginations gone wild. Put simply, wrong scouting reports come in various kinds and sizes.
In this piece, Sportskeeda Basketball will take a look at five of the most horrible NBA draft comparisons in recent memory.
#5 Kwame Brown [Comparison: Chris Webber, Karl Malone]
Any list containing the worst number one overall pick in history wouldn't be complete without the addition of Kwame Brown. Brown, a 6ft11 specimen out Charleston, South Carolina, was among the most revered prospects in the 2001 NBA Draft. Coming out of high school, Brown had the physical abilities and an NBA-type body of a franchise big man.
As a matter of fact, Brown drew comparisons to legends such as Karl Malone and Chris Webber due to his NBA-size frame. In addition to that, renowned journalist Gene Huh of FoulShots.com even described him as a center on a guard's body. Huh also added that Brown could even lead the fastbreak.
This prompted then-GM Michael Jordan and the Washington Wizards to pick him first in the 2001 NBA Draft, ahead of future All-Stars including Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol, Joe Johnson, Tony Parker and Zach Randolph.
Sadly for the Wizards, Brown never reached his true potential, averaging just 7.7 points and 5.5 rebounds during four seasons in Washington. Brown was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2005, playing alongside NBA champion Bryant, but the former was unable to blossom in the Lakers' rotation.
After three seasons in the City of Angels, Brown went on to play for the Memphis Grizzlies, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Bobcats, Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers. Brown last played in the NBA during the 2012/13 campaign and currently features for the Three-Headed Monsters in the Big 3, having been selected as the fifth overall pick in the inaugural draft.