What prospect were you most wrong about before they came into the league?

[Dominator83]

Darko was certainly a blow. What kills me is still to this day I swear if that guy hadn't just given up and lost it, he might have still been a "bust" (look at the other guys in the draft), but he absolutely could have been a 12 year nba starter and been pretty useful. Still...you can't get them all right.

I tend to not follow guys as prospects that closely before the draft so I don't have too many failures here, but again if you don't really follow them as prospects.

I still laugh at the story where Darko was on Orlando and Coach Brian Hill was yelling across the floor to him an assignment. Darko didn't hear or understand, and then Scott Skiles, the OPPOSING coach, yelled, "he wants you to guard the middle"

[Cactus Jack]

Kevin Durant. I was super critical of his first 3 years. Probably because I was bitter about the Sonics leaving Seattle.

I bought the hype on Jeff Green.

Let me tell you about an experience I had at a Sonics game back then, during their last year in Seattle. At the time I was coaching my kid's YMCA hoops team and they had a thing where they'd let the kids come down and sit courtside during warmups as part of a special promotion.

Jeff Green was incredibly nice to the kids, joking with them, passing them the ball, smiling. A really gracious and cool dude.

Durant on the other hand, went to the other side of the court when the kids came down and sat on the trainer's table. Still, a bunch of kids went over and asked for his autograph. After silently and grumpily signing a few things he called the usher over to block any more kids from bothering him.

Now I can sort of understand why Durant might have behaved that way. Maybe he was focused on the game or maybe he was just having a bad day. But contrast that to Jeff Green's behavior, it made me always like Jeff Green even if as a player he had his flaws.

Yeah, that's understandable.

The last Sonics game I went to was during the 06/07 season. It was Ray & Rashard's last year together. I went to fan fest that year (the team had just been sold). They were giving out free tickets...So, I went. At that point, I still was naive & held out some hope.

I was so excited when we drafted KD. I just knew he was going to be a superstar.

When Ray was traded, I finally came to terms with everything that was happening.

This photo still sticks with me today.

[jlokine]

isaiah thomas
i knew he was skilled but i didn't know he would continue growing as a player this much

he was the 60th pick... 99% this pick was picked because the team has to make a pick.. so pretty much even 29.5 other GMs missed on this guy.. as luck would have it, the kings hit on him... but figured, let's trade him away.. cause why not? we're the kings!

[kb24vskb8]

Gerald Green
Jeremy lamb
Royce white

Thought were gnna be good

[ProfessorJM]

I thought Mudiay had a chance to be really good but I think I might be wrong now. The current player I worry about being wrong about is Jackson (who I think could be really great) because he reminds me a little of MKG, who I thought might be really great but really never developed a lot more.

[Logicjbr]

Andrew Nicholson
Stromile Swift
Shawn Respert
Corey Maggette
Moe Peterson
Drew Gooden
Al Jefferson
Greg Oden
Kevin Durant
Jeff Green
Wilson Chandler
Tyreke Evans
Evan Turner
Daniel Orton
Derrick Williams
Fab Melo
Victor Oladipo
Dante Exum
Julius Randolph
Kris Dunn

2015 draft was very disappointing in my prejections. Worst of any draft for me. Mario Hezonja, Emmanuel Mudiay, Stanley Johnson, Jerian Grant & Jahlil Okafor

[dhsilv2]

I was high on both Okafors, and both have disappointed me. Emeka was solid for a few years, but he was never a high-impact player and his health didn't hold up; we'll see if he can make a comeback. There's still time for Jahlil.

I admit to thinking Darko Milicic was going to develop into something solid. I also thought Adam Morrison would've stuck around a little longer.

I thought Emeka should've been #1 over Dwight in that draft. In fact i thought he was the biggest slam dunk of that draft (not that it was a great draft, but still)

I thought he was the better choice, but I don't think I judge him wrong. I didn't realize how good Howard could be though. Then again he was a high school to pros guy and I was suspect of that.

[fansinceforever]

Brandon Jennings. I was sitting 7th row for the 55 point game which I believe was his 7th NBA game. His first 2 months or so were fabulous then well...

The Bucks were a franchise starved for someone to believe in and most of us dove in head first.

[WangZhiZhiRules]

I thought Mike Conley was going to be a major bust, and entered the draft only because of his Dad and his Dad repping Oden.

[theGreatRC]

I thought Jeremy lamb was gonna be a smooth 20ppg scorer in the NBA..just looks like a pot smoking bum on the bench

I thought Booker was just a 3pt specialist, but damn he has an all around offensive game that's fun to watch, plus he's a trash talker that backs it up and I love players like that

I thought Wes Johnson was going to be the next two way star...I don't think I hate an NBA player as much as him considering I was screaming we just take Cousins even if he didn't want to come to Minny

I thought KAT would be a raw offensive player that would be our anchor defensively..he's the total opposite lol

I thought Beasley should have went #1 instead of D-Rose

Since I was wrong with so many players, i'll toot my horn on one; I knew Westbrook was going to be a beast. I always traded for him in 2K9 and had him as the SG next to my created Rubio lol(Ricky wasn't in the game yet so I had to create him). If you go forward a few seasons, he becomes a star anyway

[gavran]

I was never wrong about anyone.

[ThumbsUpBaby]

There are a lot of times I was wrong about draft picks. Here are some of the laughable predictions I made since the 2010 draft class.

2011 - Thought Kyrie Irving was going to be a bust, MarShon Brooks was the next Kobe and a sleeper pick
2012 - Thomas Robinson was going to be the best player in the 2012 draft
2013 - Ben McLemore will be a star
2014 - Julius Randle > Marcus Smart

Yeah, don't put me in the FO.

To be fair, I did make predictions that came out to be true. For example, I told everyone and even made a bet (granted I was drunk) on draft day that Damian Lillard was going to be a ROY and a star (even if Thomas Robinson would be the better player). So yeah, laugh at that

[knuckles862]

Anthony Davis. I remember telling my friend he would be no better than josh smith. Man was I off

[ChiTownHero1992]

Theres a lot more recent ones then in the past that i can think of:

Michael Beasely - thought he was gonna be damn good, same with OJ Mayo for that fact
Anthony Bennet - did not believe he was #1 worthy, or going to be an all-star but i thought he would be servicable
Shabaz Muhammed - in high school he was considered the next LeBron, that didn't pan out
Jahil Okafor - hasn't reached his potential at all
Jared Sullenger - Never panned out like he dominated in College

Then there are other guys for injury or other reasons:

Derrick Rose - could've became one of the best ever
Greg Oden - i think he wouldve been in the conversation for best C of all time had he stayed healthy ever
Royce White - never could get that anxiety down to play, he could've been a serviceable bench guy

Guys that i got right and was happy though:
Derrick Williams - Too much of a tweener to do anything productive
Thomas Robinson - Was picked way to high, i knew he was only going to be an ok big (he couldnt start over the morris twins in college who weren't that good either)
Hasheem Thabeet - Too awkward
Doug McDermott - I knew he couldn't handle it, too small to be a forward, too slow to be a guard, no defense what so ever
Jimmer Fredette - can't handle the ball, way to small to be a SG

[oldtimer28]

3 pages and only the last post mentioned Fredette...

Just some recent ones

- Jay williams (though he would be westbrook/irving/chris paul like) *bad luck
- Eddie Griffin R.I.P
- Jonathon Bender *thought he would be Durant-esque
- Baron Davis - watched him in college and never saw the career he would create
- Damian Lillard (he has outperformed my expectations already)
- Ricky Rubio - I bought the europoean jason kidd/john stockton hype...
- too early to tell: Lonzo Ball (think he won't be an all star)


BONUS
- obligatory Stauskas post... (that draftroom video alone made me think I must have missed something that the Kings saw...)

[Seabass11]

Trent Richardson. I thought he was a great pick at the time

[JGOJustin]

OJ Mayo. In college I saw a 20 year old freshman who was primed to be a 20ppg scorer in the league. Walked right into the toughest conference in america that year and put up 21 a game and finished that season on a tear, w/ like 26 a game on absurd splits over his last 7 games or so.

In reality though, he was a 6'4 guard with short limbs who was unathletic, and couldn't get to the free throw line, something I disregarded in 2008 that I value very highly now.

Still my favorite player of all time though.

[NetsDynasty2012]

OJ Mayo. In college I saw a 20 year old freshman who was primed to be a 20ppg scorer in the league. Walked right into the toughest conference in america that year and put up 21 a game and finished that season on a tear, w/ like 26 a game on absurd splits over his last 7 games or so.

In reality though, he was a 6'4 guard with short limbs who was unathletic, and couldn't get to the free throw line, something I disregarded in 2008 that I value very highly now.

Still my favorite player of all time though.

That you LilOJMayo?

[Karate Diop]

I thought Terrance Williams had star potential for the Nets. He was a wing that could do it all and was extremely athletic...

[snoopdogg88]

Both Okafors
Thought Emeka was gonna be the next great center at the time.

Dante Exum- expected great things out of him.

Dwayne Wade- did not see the hype at the time