Worst NBA Draft in the Modern Era (1978-Present)

[GreenlyGreeny]

Since the 1978 draft that brought us Bird, what is the worst NBA draft year of all-time and why?

Am opting for 2000 with Kenyon Martin, Michael Redd and not much else. 2002 was weak other than Ming, Stoudamire and Boozer. Same goes for 2004 with Dwight, Big Al and a couple other all-stars/non-HOFers.

Obviously our franchise’s worst (and most tragic) draft was 1986, so let’s not go there…

[slamtheking]

2000 draft hands down.  top player was Kenyon Martin.  only a few players of note that were role players like Jamal Crawford, Mike Miller , Quentin Richardson, Michael Redd and Eddie House.   I recall an article from about 7-8 years ago when NBA talking heads were discussing the worst draft ever and they all agreed on this one.  When a redraft that long after draft night was being discussed and Eddie House was garnering serious discussion as someone who'd jump into the top 5 (the C's recent title played a part in that I believe) then that draft was really lacking talent especially when only one had a career average over 15 points per game (Redd).

[gouki88]

2013 got bailed out by two Euro prospects massively exceeding expectations. Without Giannis & Gobert the best player from that draft probably McCollum. 2004 was pretty woeful beyond Dwight Howard.

But nothing beats 2000.

[nickagneta]

2006 Bargnani, Aldridge, Reddick, Rondo, Lowry and that's it except a crippled Brandon Roy

1988 and 1989 were pretty devoid of talent

[Donoghus]

2000 was such hot garbage. 

3 total All Star appearances.   

[Redz]

2000 draft hands down.  top player was Kenyon Martin.  only a few players of note that were role players like Jamal Crawford, Mike Miller , Quentin Richardson, Michael Redd and Eddie House.   I recall an article from about 7-8 years ago when NBA talking heads were discussing the worst draft ever and they all agreed on this one.  When a redraft that long after draft night was being discussed and Eddie House was garnering serious discussion as someone who'd jump into the top 5 (the C's recent title played a part in that I believe) then that draft was really lacking talent especially when only one had a career average over 15 points per game (Redd).

I really enjoyed Michael Redd and was bummed that injuries cut his career short.

[slamtheking]

2006 Bargnani, Aldridge, Reddick, Rondo, Lowry and that's it except a crippled Brandon Roy

1988 and 1989 were pretty devoid of talent

all better than anyone from 2000

[nickagneta]

2006 Bargnani, Aldridge, Reddick, Rondo, Lowry and that's it except a crippled Brandon Roy

1988 and 1989 were pretty devoid of talent

all better than anyone from 2000

I would put that 1988 and 1989 ones just below that 2000 one. But they might be the two worst consecutive drafts in history.

[Celtics2021]

Of the more recent years, 2015 was a really bad one, especially the second round.  The final 14 picks have played a combined 37 games and 180 minutes in the 7 seasons since that draft, and 15 second-rounders plus one 1st rounder have never made it into an NBA game.

[Moranis]

Of the more recent years, 2015 was a really bad one, especially the second round.  The final 14 picks have played a combined 37 games and 180 minutes in the 7 seasons since that draft, and 15 second-rounders plus one 1st rounder have never made it into an NBA game.

Towns, Booker, Porzingis, Russell plus Turner, Rozier, and Harrell is not a great draft, but it certainly isn't a terrible draft.  Also, a lot of decent starters and long time role players (in order of draft position) like WCS, Kaminsky, Lyles, Payne, Oubre, Portis, Nance, Looney, Osman, Holmes, Richardson, Connaughton, and Powell.

2013 is a pretty darn weak draft overall despite producing the current best player in the world (Giannis) and the best big defender in twenty years (Gobert), after them you have McCollum followed by Oladipo, Schroder, and Adams in contention for the next best player (it is actually probably Covington who wasn't drafted).  So if you were putting a team together, even with Giannis and Gobert, I'm not sure how many drafts 2013 would actually beat in a game.

[Celtics2021]

Of the more recent years, 2015 was a really bad one, especially the second round.  The final 14 picks have played a combined 37 games and 180 minutes in the 7 seasons since that draft, and 15 second-rounders plus one 1st rounder have never made it into an NBA game.

Towns, Booker, Porzingis, Russell plus Turner, Rozier, and Harrell is not a great draft, but it certainly isn't a terrible draft.  Also, a lot of decent starters and long time role players (in order of draft position) like WCS, Kaminsky, Lyles, Payne, Oubre, Portis, Nance, Looney, Osman, Holmes, Richardson, Connaughton, and Powell.

2013 is a pretty darn weak draft overall despite producing the current best player in the world (Giannis) and the best big defender in twenty years (Gobert), after them you have McCollum followed by Oladipo, Schroder, and Adams in contention for the next best player (it is actually probably Covington who wasn't drafted).  So if you were putting a team together, even with Giannis and Gobert, I'm not sure how many drafts 2013 would actually beat in a game.

Dude, I said especially the second round.  Go through the drafts on basketball reference, and there's a blob of white like someone forgot to finish entering the data after pick 46.  Even the maligned 2000 draft had a little more production from the last 15ish picks.

I know there's Towns and Booker.  It's still generally a crappy draft overall (look at the number of busts in the top 10), but what makes it unique is the end of the draft.  Anyone who paid money for a pick in the 50s got fleeced.

[slamtheking]

Of the more recent years, 2015 was a really bad one, especially the second round.  The final 14 picks have played a combined 37 games and 180 minutes in the 7 seasons since that draft, and 15 second-rounders plus one 1st rounder have never made it into an NBA game.

Towns, Booker, Porzingis, Russell plus Turner, Rozier, and Harrell is not a great draft, but it certainly isn't a terrible draft.  Also, a lot of decent starters and long time role players (in order of draft position) like WCS, Kaminsky, Lyles, Payne, Oubre, Portis, Nance, Looney, Osman, Holmes, Richardson, Connaughton, and Powell.

2013 is a pretty darn weak draft overall despite producing the current best player in the world (Giannis) and the best big defender in twenty years (Gobert), after them you have McCollum followed by Oladipo, Schroder, and Adams in contention for the next best player (it is actually probably Covington who wasn't drafted).  So if you were putting a team together, even with Giannis and Gobert, I'm not sure how many drafts 2013 would actually beat in a game.

KO would carry that team   

[nickagneta]

Of the more recent years, 2015 was a really bad one, especially the second round.  The final 14 picks have played a combined 37 games and 180 minutes in the 7 seasons since that draft, and 15 second-rounders plus one 1st rounder have never made it into an NBA game.

Towns, Booker, Porzingis, Russell plus Turner, Rozier, and Harrell is not a great draft, but it certainly isn't a terrible draft.  Also, a lot of decent starters and long time role players (in order of draft position) like WCS, Kaminsky, Lyles, Payne, Oubre, Portis, Nance, Looney, Osman, Holmes, Richardson, Connaughton, and Powell.

2013 is a pretty darn weak draft overall despite producing the current best player in the world (Giannis) and the best big defender in twenty years (Gobert), after them you have McCollum followed by Oladipo, Schroder, and Adams in contention for the next best player (it is actually probably Covington who wasn't drafted).  So if you were putting a team together, even with Giannis and Gobert, I'm not sure how many drafts 2013 would actually beat in a game.

Dude, I said especially the second round.  Go through the drafts on basketball reference, and there's a blob of white like someone forgot to finish entering the data after pick 46.  Even the maligned 2000 draft had a little more production from the last 15ish picks.

I know there's Towns and Booker.  It's still generally a crappy draft overall (look at the number of busts in the top 10), but what makes it unique is the end of the draft.  Anyone who paid money for a pick in the 50s got fleeced.

Anyone who pays for a pick in the 50's should be relegated to the fact, if they get a player to ever play for them, the most games that player will play for them in that player's career is 20 or less with generally zero impact whatsoever.

So I am not sure picks in that range should ever be considered for judging that draft unless you get a rate outlier that ends up really good.

[Moranis]

Of the more recent years, 2015 was a really bad one, especially the second round.  The final 14 picks have played a combined 37 games and 180 minutes in the 7 seasons since that draft, and 15 second-rounders plus one 1st rounder have never made it into an NBA game.

Towns, Booker, Porzingis, Russell plus Turner, Rozier, and Harrell is not a great draft, but it certainly isn't a terrible draft.  Also, a lot of decent starters and long time role players (in order of draft position) like WCS, Kaminsky, Lyles, Payne, Oubre, Portis, Nance, Looney, Osman, Holmes, Richardson, Connaughton, and Powell.

2013 is a pretty darn weak draft overall despite producing the current best player in the world (Giannis) and the best big defender in twenty years (Gobert), after them you have McCollum followed by Oladipo, Schroder, and Adams in contention for the next best player (it is actually probably Covington who wasn't drafted).  So if you were putting a team together, even with Giannis and Gobert, I'm not sure how many drafts 2013 would actually beat in a game.

Dude, I said especially the second round.  Go through the drafts on basketball reference, and there's a blob of white like someone forgot to finish entering the data after pick 46.  Even the maligned 2000 draft had a little more production from the last 15ish picks.

I know there's Towns and Booker.  It's still generally a crappy draft overall (look at the number of busts in the top 10), but what makes it unique is the end of the draft.  Anyone who paid money for a pick in the 50s got fleeced.

Of the more recent years, 2015 was a really bad one

  You did put especially the 2nd round, but that is the first part of the sentence.  There is no way to interpret that other than you thinking 2015 was a really bad draft.  That is the part I was disputing.  It wasn't a really bad draft. 

But even just looking at the 2nd round it had Montrez Harrell, Richaun Holmes, Josh Richardson, Pat Connaughton, and Norman Powell, all of which have played in the league every single year since then with pretty solid overall success.  Hernangomez played 6 years as well and Osman is on year 5 and counting.  That is a pretty good quality for a 2nd round (I mean look at 2010 or 2013 if you want to see a terrible 2nd round).  Now sure there were a lot more than typical that didn't play at all, but in so many years you get 2nd rounders that play a season or two and nothing more that I don't think there is really much difference in the guy with 0 games or the guy with less than 30 games.  In fact, in some ways, a team is better off with the players not playing at all then taking up a roster spot (and salary) who is downright awful. 

[hwangjini_1]

2000 was also the draft in which Ime Udoka was not picked by anyone...though he did manage to get into the nba as a player.