"Busts" Who Bounced Back

RoxSteady · Post #1 » by **RoxSteady** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 3:54 pm

Who are some of the most prevalent example of players who fans, media, and perhaps people in the league wrote off as busts that redeemed themselves?

I think some people pegged Embiid as a Greg Oden case.

There's Oladipo

Marcus Camby struggled in Toronto and was buried on the Knicks' bench for a while

Marvin Williams

D'Angelo Russell (whose season, forgive me, I think was generally wayyy overrated)

Chauncey Billups is a noted late bloomer

Who else?

levon · Post #2 » by **levon** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 3:56 pm

D'Angelo was never a bust. He was one of the better performers all-time for his age, who got hit with an awful FO and knee troubles. He's also overrated now.

Forte IV · Post #3 » by **Forte IV** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 3:58 pm

Reggie Bullock definitely isnt a star, nor should he really be considered for this thread, but I thought he'd be out of the league after being terrified to shoot the ball with the Clippers. But he bounced back with Detroit.

Post #4 » by **Duffman100** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 3:58 pm

RoxSteady wrote:Who are some of the most prevalent example of players who fans, media, and perhaps people in the league wrote off as busts that redeemed themselves?

I think some people pegged Embiid as a Greg Oden case.

There's Oladipo

Marcus Camby struggled in Toronto and was buried on the Knicks' bench for a while

Marvin Williams

D'Angelo Russell (whose season, forgive me, I think was generally wayyy overrated)

Chauncey Billups is a noted late bloomer

Who else?

I wouldn't consider Oladipo a bust early in his career.

And Camby didn't struggle in Toronto. 12 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.7 blocks (!), 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals in his second year.

iamworthy · Post #5 » by **iamworthy** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:02 pm

Russell was never a bust.

RoxSteady · Post #6 » by **RoxSteady** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:03 pm

Duffman100 wrote:
RoxSteady wrote:Who are some of the most prevalent example of players who fans, media, and perhaps people in the league wrote off as busts that redeemed themselves?

I think some people pegged Embiid as a Greg Oden case.

There's Oladipo

Marcus Camby struggled in Toronto and was buried on the Knicks' bench for a while

Marvin Williams

D'Angelo Russell (whose season, forgive me, I think was generally wayyy overrated)

Chauncey Billups is a noted late bloomer

Who else?

I wouldn't consider Oladipo a bust early in his career.

And Camby didn't struggle in Toronto. 12 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.7 blocks (!), 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals in his second year.

Oladipo was a #2 overall pick and his first season in Indiana (his fifth) was far better than anything he'd done prior... Camby's per game stats in Toronto were much better than I remembered. He was, however pretty inefficient in Toronto and had issues getting minutes in his first season in New York. He wasn't the dynamo he'd eventually became. But "bust" might be too strong.

jason bourne · Post #7 » by **jason bourne** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:08 pm

Lonzo Ball. Pops and the Spurs didn't want him. Lakers traded his arse.

Malik Beasley. Now, he can shoot the 3-pt shot.

Markelle Fultz. LOL.

DBCJUN · Post #8 » by **DBCJUN** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:11 pm

RoxSteady wrote:Who are some of the most prevalent example of players who fans, media, and perhaps people in the league wrote off as busts that redeemed themselves?

I think some people pegged Embiid as a Greg Oden case.

There's Oladipo

Marcus Camby struggled in Toronto and was buried on the Knicks' bench for a while

Marvin Williams

D'Angelo Russell (whose season, forgive me, I think was generally wayyy overrated)

Chauncey Billups is a noted late bloomer

Who else?

I would not consider any of these players a bust, they all have had long stable careers or are doing really well right now. I was expecting more in the line of an Anthony Bennet coming back from obscurity.

miamiheat319 · Post #9 » by **miamiheat319** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:17 pm

Definitely too early to tell but Jahlil Okafor looked to be improving a little with the Pelicans last year

fullrespect · Post #10 » by **fullrespect** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:17 pm

JJ Redick.

Post #11 » by **jazzfan1971** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:19 pm

Jermaine O'Neal?

Ainosterhaspie · Post #12 » by **Ainosterhaspie** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:22 pm

Hassan Whiteside

Wizenheimer · Post #13 » by **Wizenheimer** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:23 pm

Steve Nash was a 15th pick who averaged 8 points, 5 assists, and 2 turnovers while shooting 36% on FG's in his 3rd season when he was 24. He wasn't much better in his 4th season. It wasn't till his 5th season, when he was 26, that hs started to put things together

Jermaine O'Neal was a 17th pick who only averaged 4 points and 3 rebounds in his 4th season. However, Mike Dunleavy kept him buried on the Portland bench so O'Neal didn't "bounce back" till he got traded to Indiana. Maybe his first 4 seasons don't fit the 'bust' category because of coaching decisions but he certainly didn't live up to his draft slot till his 5th season

MarcusBrody · Post #14 » by **MarcusBrody** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:26 pm

Not ever a major bust, but J.J. Reddick was a lottery pick who averaged 6, 4.5, and 6 points his first three years in the league. His FG and 3P% were lower in this third year vs. his rookie year and he was 24 at the time. His fourth year was a big improvement though and he has developed into a solid, productive player into his mid 30s.

Scalabrine · Post #15 » by **Scalabrine** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:28 pm

RoxSteady wrote:
Duffman100 wrote:
RoxSteady wrote:Who are some of the most prevalent example of players who fans, media, and perhaps people in the league wrote off as busts that redeemed themselves?

I think some people pegged Embiid as a Greg Oden case.

There's Oladipo

Marcus Camby struggled in Toronto and was buried on the Knicks' bench for a while

Marvin Williams

D'Angelo Russell (whose season, forgive me, I think was generally wayyy overrated)

Chauncey Billups is a noted late bloomer

Who else?

I wouldn't consider Oladipo a bust early in his career.

And Camby didn't struggle in Toronto. 12 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.7 blocks (!), 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals in his second year.

Oladipo was a #2 overall pick and his first season in Indiana (his fifth) was far better than anything he'd done prior... Camby's per game stats in Toronto were much better than I remembered. He was, however pretty inefficient in Toronto and had issues getting minutes in his first season in New York. He wasn't the dynamo he'd eventually became. But "bust" might be too strong.

He had issues getting minutes in NY because he was playing behind Patrick Ewing...not much else to it.

Mogspan · Post #16 » by **Mogspan** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:34 pm

Wiggins this upcoming season :nod:

dhsilv2 · Post #17 » by **dhsilv2** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:36 pm

jazzfan1971 wrote:Jermaine O'Neal?

Everyone thought he was good, he just couldn't crack the rotation on a team overloaded with big men. He was also a high school to pros guy.

CS707 · Post #18 » by **CS707** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:37 pm

Iso Joe?

Forte IV · Post #19 » by **Forte IV** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:37 pm

jason bourne wrote:Lonzo Ball. Pops and the Spurs didn't want him. Lakers traded his arse.

Malik Beasley. Now, he can shoot the 3-pt shot.

Markelle Fultz. LOL.

Do you understand what the phrase "bounced back" means or

Moahst · Post #20 » by **Moahst** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:39 pm

Kwame Brown.

PJ Tucker and Patrick Beverley were out of the NBA for years and had big comebacks. I don't think they were ever considered busts though.

I don't know if these guys are busts either, but I think they never lived up to initial expectations and yet they've had solid long careers:

Jeff Green
Tony Snell
Evan Turner
Tyreke Evans
Gerald Green

Anthony Bennett is attempting a bounce back right now for Houston. He had great numbers in the G-League last season.