Anybody you hope we DON'T draft this year?

[Yoki_IsTheName]

A Power Forward not named Julius Randle.

[Celtic Fan Forever]

Odviouslly I hope I am wrong with this and because of how great he is right now I have a real good chance to be im gonna shock you guys but I am real real hesitant about.......... JaBari Parker Now you guys are sayin Boston are you crazy are you nuts but think about Players from duke in the nba who have been busts drafted in top 10 curtousy of nbadraft.net

1. Art Heyman 1963 New York Knicks first overall
2. Jeff Mullins 1964 St Louis Hawks
3 Jack Marin 1966 Baltimore Bullets
4. Mike Gminski 1980 Nets
5. Johnny Dawkins 1986 Spurs
6. Christian Laettner 1992 Twolves
7. Bobby Hurley 1993 Kings
8. Grant Hill 1994 Pistons Injuries Still Bust
9. Elton Brand 1999 Bulls first overall
10. Shane Battier 2001 Grizz
11. Jay Williams 2002 Bulls
12. Mike Dunleavy 2002 Warriors
13. Luol Deng 2004 prob one of the best but Iguodala Jefferson josh Smith are better who were taken later
14. Finally Kyrie Irving 2011 Starting lineup in allstar game about time with a college program as storied as that you actually get someone into the nba whose worthy of being there
15 Austin Rivers 2012 Hornets

As I said I hope he supper seeds the likes of Kyrie Irving but I don't like that company of top 10 picks in the history of that program going to the nba and no matter how good this draft is most are gonna be out of the league a lot will be bench to role players and a very small few will be stars its up to danny ainge to pick one of the few stars to justify this season

No way you can call Elton Brand a bust. Was a consistent 20-10 guy before injuries got to him

[Tr1boy]

- Mcgary
- Cauley Stein
- Garry Harris

[Fan from VT]

Aaron Gordon is Shawn Marion 2.0.  That guy will always have job in the NBA.

Shawn Marion was the bomb

This is the comparison I've been making all along.

Gordon is very similar to Marion. Not that that's a bad thing, be he's not a top-5 pick and somebody you build a franchise around. I'd be disappointed if we took him with a top-6 pick.

I'm living in blissful ignorance with IP that Jabari Parker will be wearing a Celtic Jersey this summer.

Shawn Marion should be a top 5 pick in just about any draft. He's a rondo-level player in his prime.

[GreenWarrior]

Odviouslly I hope I am wrong with this and because of how great he is right now I have a real good chance to be im gonna shock you guys but I am real real hesitant about.......... JaBari Parker Now you guys are sayin Boston are you crazy are you nuts but think about Players from duke in the nba who have been busts drafted in top 10 curtousy of nbadraft.net

1. Art Heyman 1963 New York Knicks first overall
2. Jeff Mullins 1964 St Louis Hawks
3 Jack Marin 1966 Baltimore Bullets
4. Mike Gminski 1980 Nets
5. Johnny Dawkins 1986 Spurs
6. Christian Laettner 1992 Twolves
7. Bobby Hurley 1993 Kings
8. Grant Hill 1994 Pistons Injuries Still Bust
9. Elton Brand 1999 Bulls first overall
10. Shane Battier 2001 Grizz
11. Jay Williams 2002 Bulls
12. Mike Dunleavy 2002 Warriors
13. Luol Deng 2004 prob one of the best but Iguodala Jefferson josh Smith are better who were taken later
14. Finally Kyrie Irving 2011 Starting lineup in allstar game about time with a college program as storied as that you actually get someone into the nba whose worthy of being there
15 Austin Rivers 2012 Hornets

As I said I hope he supper seeds the likes of Kyrie Irving but I don't like that company of top 10 picks in the history of that program going to the nba and no matter how good this draft is most are gonna be out of the league a lot will be bench to role players and a very small few will be stars its up to danny ainge to pick one of the few stars to justify this season

i'd say about 95% of those you listed I would take...but not with a top 5 pick.

but yeah i'd rather stay away from duke players as they've always been wildly overrated.

[GreenEnvy]

Aaron Gordon is Shawn Marion 2.0.  That guy will always have job in the NBA.

Shawn Marion was the bomb

This is the comparison I've been making all along.

Gordon is very similar to Marion. Not that that's a bad thing, be he's not a top-5 pick and somebody you build a franchise around. I'd be disappointed if we took him with a top-6 pick.

I'm living in blissful ignorance with IP that Jabari Parker will be wearing a Celtic Jersey this summer.

I've seen some mocks with Gordon going as late as out of the lottery (I think nbadraft.net currently has us picking him with our Nets/Hawks pick). I would not want be ecstatic about picking him with our own pick.

Regarding Exum, while I have only seen his video clips, he reminds me a lot of kerry kittles (prior to the knee injuries). 

Kittles, if you don't remember, was a off guard with a decent 3pt shot, fast, very good in transition.  He was unselfish and very good playmaker, probably deferred to teammates too much.  I thought he would have been better paired playing next to a combo guard who could d-up the other teams point, but gun from the outside.

Does anybody else see this?  WOuld we be happy if this is what exum turned out to be?  Kittles was drafted 8th overall.  (Sorry ex-Nova fan, don't follow college ball much anymore, it takes too much time).

Supposedly Exum is a true PG lacking a great jumper. Penny Hardaway seems like a much better comparison because of size and skill set.

[GreenWarrior]

Odviouslly I hope I am wrong with this and because of how great he is right now I have a real good chance to be im gonna shock you guys but I am real real hesitant about.......... JaBari Parker Now you guys are sayin Boston are you crazy are you nuts but think about Players from duke in the nba who have been busts drafted in top 10 curtousy of nbadraft.net

1. Art Heyman 1963 New York Knicks first overall
2. Jeff Mullins 1964 St Louis Hawks
3 Jack Marin 1966 Baltimore Bullets
4. Mike Gminski 1980 Nets
5. Johnny Dawkins 1986 Spurs
6. Christian Laettner 1992 Twolves
7. Bobby Hurley 1993 Kings
8. Grant Hill 1994 Pistons Injuries Still Bust
9. Elton Brand 1999 Bulls first overall
10. Shane Battier 2001 Grizz
11. Jay Williams 2002 Bulls
12. Mike Dunleavy 2002 Warriors
13. Luol Deng 2004 prob one of the best but Iguodala Jefferson josh Smith are better who were taken later
14. Finally Kyrie Irving 2011 Starting lineup in allstar game about time with a college program as storied as that you actually get someone into the nba whose worthy of being there
15 Austin Rivers 2012 Hornets

As I said I hope he supper seeds the likes of Kyrie Irving but I don't like that company of top 10 picks in the history of that program going to the nba and no matter how good this draft is most are gonna be out of the league a lot will be bench to role players and a very small few will be stars its up to danny ainge to pick one of the few stars to justify this season

Grant Hill's injuries derailed his career, it had nothing to do with the college he graduated from.

Shane Battier has been a defensive gamechanger in his NBA - exactly what he was known for in college.

grant hill was way overrated before he got injured. never understood why defenders just didn't drop off of him as his outside shot was lacking to say the least.

shane battier was/is a nice player but not exactly the type of player i'd want out of a top 5 pick.

top 5 pick I want numerous all star appearances.

[indeedproceed]

Odviouslly I hope I am wrong with this and because of how great he is right now I have a real good chance to be im gonna shock you guys but I am real real hesitant about.......... JaBari Parker Now you guys are sayin Boston are you crazy are you nuts but think about Players from duke in the nba who have been busts drafted in top 10 curtousy of nbadraft.net

1. Art Heyman 1963 New York Knicks first overall
2. Jeff Mullins 1964 St Louis Hawks
3 Jack Marin 1966 Baltimore Bullets
4. Mike Gminski 1980 Nets
5. Johnny Dawkins 1986 Spurs
6. Christian Laettner 1992 Twolves
7. Bobby Hurley 1993 Kings
8. Grant Hill 1994 Pistons Injuries Still Bust
9. Elton Brand 1999 Bulls first overall
10. Shane Battier 2001 Grizz
11. Jay Williams 2002 Bulls
12. Mike Dunleavy 2002 Warriors
13. Luol Deng 2004 prob one of the best but Iguodala Jefferson josh Smith are better who were taken later
14. Finally Kyrie Irving 2011 Starting lineup in allstar game about time with a college program as storied as that you actually get someone into the nba whose worthy of being there
15 Austin Rivers 2012 Hornets

As I said I hope he supper seeds the likes of Kyrie Irving but I don't like that company of top 10 picks in the history of that program going to the nba and no matter how good this draft is most are gonna be out of the league a lot will be bench to role players and a very small few will be stars its up to danny ainge to pick one of the few stars to justify this season

Luol Deng, Grant Hill, Kyrie Irving and Elton Brand weren't busts.

Deng, and Irving weren't busts in any sense of the word.

Hill and Brand, different story. Being hurt by completely unforeseeable injuries doesn't make a guy a bust. Brand was a top-3 player in the league the year before his Achilles surgery. Grant Hill's injury was completely derailed by infections after an ankle surgery. Before that, he was one of the stronger presumed heirs apparent to Jordan's title of best player in the world.

[furball]

I hope they don't draft Embiid and Parker.








See, the last time I did this I didn't want were Sullinger and Melo.  We know how that worked out.  So assuming the pattern holds, you can all thank me later ;-)

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Odviouslly I hope I am wrong with this and because of how great he is right now I have a real good chance to be im gonna shock you guys but I am real real hesitant about.......... JaBari Parker Now you guys are sayin Boston are you crazy are you nuts but think about Players from duke in the nba who have been busts drafted in top 10 curtousy of nbadraft.net

1. Art Heyman 1963 New York Knicks first overall
2. Jeff Mullins 1964 St Louis Hawks
3 Jack Marin 1966 Baltimore Bullets
4. Mike Gminski 1980 Nets
5. Johnny Dawkins 1986 Spurs
6. Christian Laettner 1992 Twolves
7. Bobby Hurley 1993 Kings
8. Grant Hill 1994 Pistons Injuries Still Bust
9. Elton Brand 1999 Bulls first overall
10. Shane Battier 2001 Grizz
11. Jay Williams 2002 Bulls
12. Mike Dunleavy 2002 Warriors
13. Luol Deng 2004 prob one of the best but Iguodala Jefferson josh Smith are better who were taken later
14. Finally Kyrie Irving 2011 Starting lineup in allstar game about time with a college program as storied as that you actually get someone into the nba whose worthy of being there
15 Austin Rivers 2012 Hornets

As I said I hope he supper seeds the likes of Kyrie Irving but I don't like that company of top 10 picks in the history of that program going to the nba and no matter how good this draft is most are gonna be out of the league a lot will be bench to role players and a very small few will be stars its up to danny ainge to pick one of the few stars to justify this season

No way you can call Elton Brand a bust. Was a consistent 20-10 guy before injuries got to him

So is Jay Williams, who's headed to a very good career until the accident.

Laettner did not live up to the 3rd overall pick standards I guess, but he as well had a very good showing early in his career. I would not call him a bust either.

[bostonsportsfan]

So far Kyrie Irving has not been a bust Deng is pretty good also but as I said better players were drafted after him as for brand I have higher expectations out of a #1 pick Irving has met them brand has not Sad thing guys is your right Elton Brand has probably near the top as best players in this crop below deng and Kyrie whose clear cut #1 as best duke player to ever play pro ball

[Monkhouse]

So far Kyrie Irving has not been a bust Deng is pretty good also but as I said better players were drafted after him as for brand I have higher expectations out of a #1 pick Irving has met them brand has not Sad thing guys is your right Elton Brand has probably near the top as best players in this crop below deng and Kyrie whose clear cut #1 as best duke player to ever play pro ball

Jeff Mullins, Christian Laettner are also some players that had noticeable decent careers.

There hasn't been anyone amazing that played at Duke, but Duke has had the best success imo luring collegiate players.

[D.o.s.]

Odviouslly I hope I am wrong with this and because of how great he is right now I have a real good chance to be im gonna shock you guys but I am real real hesitant about.......... JaBari Parker Now you guys are sayin Boston are you crazy are you nuts but think about Players from duke in the nba who have been busts drafted in top 10 curtousy of nbadraft.net

1. Art Heyman 1963 New York Knicks first overall
2. Jeff Mullins 1964 St Louis Hawks
3 Jack Marin 1966 Baltimore Bullets
4. Mike Gminski 1980 Nets
5. Johnny Dawkins 1986 Spurs
6. Christian Laettner 1992 Twolves
7. Bobby Hurley 1993 Kings
8. Grant Hill 1994 Pistons Injuries Still Bust
9. Elton Brand 1999 Bulls first overall
10. Shane Battier 2001 Grizz
11. Jay Williams 2002 Bulls
12. Mike Dunleavy 2002 Warriors
13. Luol Deng 2004 prob one of the best but Iguodala Jefferson josh Smith are better who were taken later
14. Finally Kyrie Irving 2011 Starting lineup in allstar game about time with a college program as storied as that you actually get someone into the nba whose worthy of being there
15 Austin Rivers 2012 Hornets

As I said I hope he supper seeds the likes of Kyrie Irving but I don't like that company of top 10 picks in the history of that program going to the nba and no matter how good this draft is most are gonna be out of the league a lot will be bench to role players and a very small few will be stars its up to danny ainge to pick one of the few stars to justify this season

Grant Hill's injuries derailed his career, it had nothing to do with the college he graduated from.

Shane Battier has been a defensive gamechanger in his NBA - exactly what he was known for in college.

grant hill was way overrated before he got injured.

Yeah I'm gonna call bull on that one.

But everyone who dies/has a career altering injury has their best possible career mapped out as a viable alternative.

The best example of that for this site is probably Len Bias. Or maybe Reggie Lewis.

[lantinm]

Players I would feel comfortable drafting:

1. Wiggins
2. Parker
3. Embiid
4. Randle
5. Smart
6. Exum
7. Vonleh
8. McDermott
9. James Young
10. Gordon

Players I wouldn't feel comfortable drafting:

1. Cauley-Stein
2. Harris
3. Saric
4. Anderson
5. Ennis
6. G-Rob III
7. Grant
8. LaVine
9. McAdoo
10. Nash

Players who I find intriguing:

1. Christon
2. Walker
3. Clarkson
4. Fair
5. Poythress (he's been disappointing, but he's got an NBA body, is a good rebounder, plays well on the baseline, and is a terrific athlete).  I think he's one of those classic cases of a guy being a better pro than collegian.

[bdm860]

Odviouslly I hope I am wrong with this and because of how great he is right now I have a real good chance to be im gonna shock you guys but I am real real hesitant about.......... JaBari Parker Now you guys are sayin Boston are you crazy are you nuts but think about Players from duke in the nba who have been busts drafted in top 10 curtousy of nbadraft.net

1. Art Heyman 1963 New York Knicks first overall
2. Jeff Mullins 1964 St Louis Hawks
3 Jack Marin 1966 Baltimore Bullets
4. Mike Gminski 1980 Nets
5. Johnny Dawkins 1986 Spurs
6. Christian Laettner 1992 Twolves
7. Bobby Hurley 1993 Kings
8. Grant Hill 1994 Pistons Injuries Still Bust
9. Elton Brand 1999 Bulls first overall
10. Shane Battier 2001 Grizz
11. Jay Williams 2002 Bulls
12. Mike Dunleavy 2002 Warriors
13. Luol Deng 2004 prob one of the best but Iguodala Jefferson josh Smith are better who were taken later
14. Finally Kyrie Irving 2011 Starting lineup in allstar game about time with a college program as storied as that you actually get someone into the nba whose worthy of being there
15 Austin Rivers 2012 Hornets

As I said I hope he supper seeds the likes of Kyrie Irving but I don't like that company of top 10 picks in the history of that program going to the nba and no matter how good this draft is most are gonna be out of the league a lot will be bench to role players and a very small few will be stars its up to danny ainge to pick one of the few stars to justify this season

No way you can call Elton Brand a bust. Was a consistent 20-10 guy before injuries got to him

So is Jay Williams, who's headed to a very good career until the accident.

Laettner did not live up to the 3rd overall pick standards I guess, but he as well had a very good showing early in his career. I would not call him a bust either.

I'm going to pile on with everyone else here.

That list is ridiculous. 

Grant Hill, Elton Brand, Luol Deng, and Kyrie Irving are the opposite of busts.  We're talking multiple All-Star appearances for them all (giving Kyrie the benefit doubt for this year here).  Though I do agree with GreenWarrior that I think Grant Hill was overrated in his prime, he was darn still pretty darn good, and many think will make the HOF (I just don't think he was his generations LeBron/Durant like many make him out to be at the time).

The first 3 on the list are from the 60's! The first 4 are from before the more modern era of the NBA, and before Coach K was at Duke.  How can you even apply those to the current Duke?

Yoki, no way Jay Williams was headed to a good career.  He did come in with high expectations (I thought he would be great), but showed little in his one season, and as his first season went on many questioned if he'd ever be a truly effective starting guard in the NBA, as he couldn't keep with PG's, didn't have a strong handle, wasn't much of a play maker, and wasn't big or athletic enough to play SG.  For a 3 year college guy, drafted #2 overall, he should have been ready for the NBA.  He was not, and likely never would have been.  No injury and dude would have still have been a bust.

How can a list include Hill, Deng, Irving, Brand as busts, as well as very solid guys like Laettner (who was an All-Star), Gminski, Battier (who was never really expected to be an All Star), but exclude guys like Danny Ferry and Sheldon Williams?

The list is garbage, but I do kind of share the sentiment.  For all of Duke's college success, they're not really the NBA star factory you'd think they'd be.  I know the list was top 10, but expanding that to further out, I think you see a lot of Duke guys drafted in the lottery or first round who never pan out: Trajon Langdon, William Avery, Cherokee Parks, etc.  While schools like Georgetown or UNC or Kentucky or UConn seem to have about as many guys get into the NBA, but more are likely to stick and have good or solid careers.  But maybe that's from so much over exposure to Duke guys during the college season since they're always so good, I mean let's face it, Duke is like the Lakers of the NCAA.  Sure, there's busts from any school, but I just think Duke doesn't produce as many stars and has more busts then other big time programs.  Not a reason I wouldn't want Parker though.