Prospects you pined for but ended up being busts

[CFAN38]

Luke Babbit, I thought he was going to be a boarder line allstar SF.

For recent celtics I thought JJJ was going to be a Taj Gibson type player

[the_Bird]

+1 to JJJ = Taj Gibson.

And I know that when you're picking as late in the draft as JJJ was selected, that you don't expect a guy to necessarily pan out.  But, it's mindblowing to me that both JJJ and Fab Melo were SO terrible, they were both out of the league after only one year, with another full year guaranteed.  Those guys were both so terrible, they were paid just as much to not play basketball, as they were paid to play. 

That's just...  well, picked in the 20s or not, those are pure, absolute busts. 

[dysgenic]

Here is my list:

1. Nate Robinson.
I soooo rooted for this guy.  At his best he was such an exciting player, sort of a supercharged Vinny Johnson.  He was (and is) a flat out amazing athlete.

2. Von Wafer.
Believe it or not I had really high hopes for this dude.  In 2010 he started taking the ball to the basket, making his 3s, and really contributed as the year went on.  Usually guys that get better throughout the course of the year just keep getting better in the offseason.  Didn't happen with Wafer and it really disappointed me.

3. JJJ.
This one really hurt.  He seemed like a guy with multiple offensive moves and a nice little midrange jumpshot. At one point he seemed to be coming on defensively, but his progress stopped, he was shipped out of town, and we never heard from him again.

4. Semih Erden.
Could block shots, could finish with both hands, could rebound, could play.  What happened to you, Semih?

5. (the big one) Mike Bibby.
Ok, he wasn't exactly a bust, but when I first started watching him as a young player with those exciting Sacramento teams, I thought he was the next Isaiah Thomas.  In his early days his jumpshot was dynamite. Could get it off against anybody.  Fearless, too.  A young kid not afraid of the big moment whatsoever.  He stopped getting better and never turned into the player he could have been.

6. Leon Powe.
A 6'5 power forward and a great story.  Was in the top 10 in NBA efficiency one year.  Could run.  Could jump.  Great moves around the basket.  Got hurt and disappeared.

7. Glen Davis.
"He tiptoed through the tulips on that one, huh Tommy?" (Mike Gorman)
Another guy not afraid of the big moment.  Very crafty with his body.  Very good in pressure situations.  Fell in love with his crappy jumper and is now looking for a job as I understand it.

[KG_ended_Bias]

I have a sleeper guy nobody would ever mention, but I thought the "Shaq of the Mac" Gary Trent while he was coming out of Ohio University was going to be the next Charles Barkley! Undersized PF with exceptional strength & a 46 inch vertical leap at 6-7. Nice shot also idk how he didn't become a perennial 18-10 guy. I was of the belief he would be a 23-12 guy.

[CelticsFanFromNYC]

James White:  (Dunk Contest Purposes) Only know for his jumping ability . Dunks all around the world and chokes on the NBA stage smh. That was a bust for me!!! OTher then him Anthony Randolph, and Von Wafer

[Timdawgg]

#1 Marcus Banks...I live in Vegas and it was my dream for the Celts to draft a player from my 2nd favorite sports team the Rebels. I thought he would be a stud in the NBA...boy was I wrong...

Kind hoping Mike Moser catches on now...

I actually really wanted Adam Morrison too...yikes....

I was in the Greg Oden corner for picking him...thinking he would be the next best thing to Bill Russell.

I was so glad when the Celts drafted Montross back then...same with Kedrick Brown...

I was Really bummed we did not get Tractor Traylor in the Paul Pierce draft.. I was really p---ed at the Paul Pierce pick as I wanted Keon Clark...for the same reasons as Marcus Banks..So glad I was not the GM....

[TeamGreen.dm]

Early in my NBA fanhood, as a Celtics fan, I rremember being excited about Joey Forte. I thought he'd be the perfect PG. An elite athlete. I was young and dumb haha  and to make matters worse Agent 0 and Tony Parker were both available at the 21st pick

[Eric M VAN]

Duxbury Bill!!!! How could I forget BC's 3rd bestest of all time...and somebody mentioned Danya Abrams, good thread if just for the BC guy mentions.

Back to Walter "The Original Truth" Berry. I found a nice blog post on him from a couple years ago.

http://sumsoul.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/walter-%E2%80%9Cthe-truth%E2%80%9D-berry-not-a-bust/

I may date back a bit further than some folks on here so these names may not ring a bell but a few of my WTH's were

1) Walter Berry St Johns

2) Ronnie Perry - HC

3) Scoonie Penn - BC

4) Chris Herren - Everywhere

These are obviously Northeast-centric but I was a hug Big East fan back in the day and they used to televise a double header every Monday night and replay it after Midnight (i was working the graveyard shift).

I thought ever BC guy was gonna be a superstah back then.

Dude, don't forget Bill Curley!

I'm with you on the age.  I played at a bunch of camps with Scoonie Penn because we are around the same age...that guy could ball.  I still can't believe he didn't make it in the nba although he's done well overseas.

[GreenWarrior]

Todd Lichti, man this guy had a tough life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Lichti

back when we were really really bad and looking for absolutely anything to be positive about. I had hopes this guy could turn it around. 

[Fred Roberts]

Fred Roberts
Bill walker
Eric montross
Gave pruitt

Fred Roberts. Ha! His military flat top was money though.

I've got a long list. I thought Vin Baker could turn it around in Boston. . . .for multiple years. Thought Adam Morrison could turn it around and make a comeback. Assumed Kedrick Brown could put it together and be a stud. Gerald Green for sure, but he has redeemed himself to a large degree as of the last season or so. Bill Walker . .. i was bummed when we traded him. Thought O'Bryant would be a good project / pick up. Ooops. 

[CFAN38]

Early in my NBA fanhood, as a Celtics fan, I rremember being excited about Joey Forte. I thought he'd be the perfect PG. An elite athlete. I was young and dumb haha  and to make matters worse Agent 0 and Tony Parker were both available at the 21st pick

I may be wrong but I think your in good company with that pick, I think Red was the one who lobbied for him.

[zerophase]

Evan Turner, Austin Rivers (still young!), Xavier Henry, Greg Oden (only because of injuries)

[RJ87]

Luke Babbit, I thought he was going to be a boarder line allstar SF.

Ah, I forgot about Luke Babbitt! I was hoping he'd fall to us at #19 that year and was bummed when we ended up with Avery Bradley.

[JR47]

Johnny Flynn and Yi Jianlian

[BitterJim]

I thought Fab Melo could be a pretty good defensive center if he ever got used to the pace of the NBA

I didn't realize he had such a low basketball IQ and that he would struggle with the pace of the D-League...

Royce White, too. I thought he could figure it out mentally, but...