Greatest player who didn't meet pre draft expectations?

[Jailblazers7]

The current answer is Ewing. Time will tell if the new answer is Wemby - his expectations are so high they he could easily have a great career while falling short of the hype.

[Backcountry]

I was thinking Ewing, but then someone mentioned Sampson and I remembered the hype when he was drafted. In college he was also a monster, maybe not as menacing as Ewing but he was going to dominate the league. He was the Wemby of his time.

[Zukkoyaki]

Maybe the "Big Dog" Glenn Robinson?

Was one of the best college players ever and basically held the Bucks hostage for a 10 year contract. Only made a couple of All-Star games and rode the Duncan Spurs to a ring late in his career.

[Long2_noD]

John Wall deserves a mention.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Towns? He is much worse defensively than he was billed as as a prospect, and wasn’t really a franchise altering player, still a great career though

This or Wiggins makes more sense to me than Ewing. Its a tricky question but when I make sense of whats being asked here, the description of that player has to somewhat fit a “bust”. Wiggins definitely fits the bust requirement, in comparison to his expectations, Towns somewhat fits it too I think, but Ewing I don’t really see it. I get he had GOAT expectations but even though he didn’t get anywhere near the GOAT conversation, his career overall is what I’d call an “All NBA career”.

Wiggins sure as hell is not having an “All NBA career” and I would say Towns either despite having a few third team nods. Ewing also had massive knee problems, and of course likely has an even better career if not.

I think the minimum for guys that are expected to be all time greats to not be considered a bust is an “all NBA career” or at least a bunch of all star teams. Making it into the top 10 all time is not a requirement and you are not a bust for not making it. Its an absurd expectation to start with lol.

Anyways, that’s the way I see this topic.

It amazes me how often Wiggins and Towns are still grouped together.

One guy has one flukey ASG nod and never sniffed All NBA.
The other guy is a perennial All Star when healthy with 5 ASG nods and 3 All NBA teams.

[Haldi]

Towns? He is much worse defensively than he was billed as as a prospect, and wasn’t really a franchise altering player, still a great career though

This or Wiggins makes more sense to me than Ewing. Its a tricky question but when I make sense of whats being asked here, the description of that player has to somewhat fit a “bust”. Wiggins definitely fits the bust requirement, in comparison to his expectations, Towns somewhat fits it too I think, but Ewing I don’t really see it. I get he had GOAT expectations but even though he didn’t get anywhere near the GOAT conversation, his career overall is what I’d call an “All NBA career”.

Wiggins sure as hell is not having an “All NBA career” and I would say Towns either despite having a few third team nods. Ewing also had massive knee problems, and of course likely has an even better career if not.

I think the minimum for guys that are expected to be all time greats to not be considered a bust is an “all NBA career” or at least a bunch of all star teams. Making it into the top 10 all time is not a requirement and you are not a bust for not making it. Its an absurd expectation to start with lol.

Anyways, that’s the way I see this topic.

It amazes me how often Wiggins and Towns are still grouped together.

One guy has one flukey ASG nod and never sniffed All NBA.
The other guy is a perennial All Star when healthy with 5 ASG nods and 3 All NBA teams.

I don’t disagree with you on that, and notice how I wrote “somewhat fits” for Towns and “definitely fits” for Wiggins.

My comment was more about how they both fit the OP’s question more than Ewing who was mentioned all over the first comments.

[TwitterFingers]

Ewing is a good call. He was supposed to be the best player in a generation. Instead he became one of the best players in a generation.

[Lalouie]

Thinking about someone who achieved less than what people were expecting, but still a lot.
Could it be Patrick Ewing?

by a mile and a half!
his legacy is he's a knick and he was a riley/jvg player
but the biggest part of his legacy was made @g'town

there's also oden(glass), bowie(overrated in the first place), wicks(qualified - he met expectations as a rookie but his career slid after that. don't know why), wiggins, sampson, dawkins, austin carr, o'bannon(unusual story of redemption but ultimately unsustainable)

but none of those got into the hof

[AbeVigodaLive]

This or Wiggins makes more sense to me than Ewing. Its a tricky question but when I make sense of whats being asked here, the description of that player has to somewhat fit a “bust”. Wiggins definitely fits the bust requirement, in comparison to his expectations, Towns somewhat fits it too I think, but Ewing I don’t really see it. I get he had GOAT expectations but even though he didn’t get anywhere near the GOAT conversation, his career overall is what I’d call an “All NBA career”.

Wiggins sure as hell is not having an “All NBA career” and I would say Towns either despite having a few third team nods. Ewing also had massive knee problems, and of course likely has an even better career if not.

I think the minimum for guys that are expected to be all time greats to not be considered a bust is an “all NBA career” or at least a bunch of all star teams. Making it into the top 10 all time is not a requirement and you are not a bust for not making it. Its an absurd expectation to start with lol.

Anyways, that’s the way I see this topic.

It amazes me how often Wiggins and Towns are still grouped together.

One guy has one flukey ASG nod and never sniffed All NBA.
The other guy is a perennial All Star when healthy with 5 ASG nods and 3 All NBA teams.

I don’t disagree with you on that, and notice how I wrote “somewhat fits” for Towns and “definitely fits” for Wiggins.

My comment was more about how they both fit the OP’s question more than Ewing who was mentioned all over the first comments.

To be fair... the OP's question was "Greatest player who didn't meet pre-draft expectations?

1. Wiggins isn't a great player in any context.
2. Ewing's "expectations" were significantly higher than Wiggins entering the NBA. In fact, he wasn't just touted as the surefire #1 pick, he was one of the most hyped athletes in all of professional sports leading into his draft. He was indeed great... but did not meet expectations to become the next Russell/Wilt/Kareem. In fact, he was largely overshadowed by contemporaries, including Olajuwon, Robinson and O'Neal.

Still a GREAT player (unlike Wiggins), but he didn't meet the lofty expectations.  

[Jasen777]

It might be Ewing as has been said but how would David Robinson stack up? Arguably needing Duncan to get a ring means he didn't meet expectations, but his career was so good anyways that might not be fair.

[Lalouie]

I was thinking Ewing, but then someone mentioned Sampson and I remembered the hype when he was drafted. In college he was also a monster, maybe not as menacing as Ewing but he was going to dominate the league. He was the Wemby of his time.

there were signs...(chaminade)

[Lalouie]

I'd go with Ewing, though it's hard to know what expectations were like for older players.

Some others: Walton, Webber, Iverson.

walton led the team to a ring!
how dare you

changed the perspective of what a center was.

50-10 the next season until the injury. point being he proved himself. everyone else on the list either didn't or couldn't.

[CS707]

Ewing is probably the answer but Chris Webber also comes to mind. Maybe Melo too.

[Wingy]

LeBron?

How? He is seen as the GOAT in many people's eyes and at worst Top 2-3 of all-time.

Must be trolling.

[MAMBAEMD]

Charles Barkley

[ReggiesKnicks]

LeBron?

How? He is seen as the GOAT in many people's eyes and at worst Top 2-3 of all-time.

Must be trolling.

Who?

I would say somewhere between 20-40% of people view LeBron James as the GOAT from polls on this forum and Reddit.

I rarely see a list of Top 10 all-time not have LeBron James in the Top 2-3.

[CS707]

Is there an argument for Zo? As great as he was, it feels like he was just short of the generational, all-time talent that he was expected to be.

[Wingy]

How? He is seen as the GOAT in many people's eyes and at worst Top 2-3 of all-time.

Must be trolling.

Who?

I would say somewhere between 20-40% of people view LeBron James as the GOAT from polls on this forum and Reddit.

I rarely see a list of Top 10 all-time not have LeBron James in the Top 2-3.

The person that wrote “Lebron,” silly.

[ReggiesKnicks]

Must be trolling.

Who?

I would say somewhere between 20-40% of people view LeBron James as the GOAT from polls on this forum and Reddit.

I rarely see a list of Top 10 all-time not have LeBron James in the Top 2-3.

The person that wrote “Lebron,” silly.

Silly me

[jbk1234]

From 1980 forward.
List of first overall NBA draft picks - Wikipedia https://share.google/dkYerrAPihFKBrkvZ