Hindsight is 20/20: NBA Draft

Part 1/3

You really never know what you're going to get with a draft pick in the NBA. Sure a highly touted first-rounder has been scoped out, scouted and scrutinized for years before they shake Stern's iron fist, but sometimes players don't live up to all we thought they could be. In hindsight, we play the role of GM and think of who we could have drafted and how that may have changed the fortunes of different teams, but the process isn't easy. Here are some of the major blunders of the past decade either by management, scouts, or the players themselves so we can all go back and wonder, "what if?"

Worst Draft Picks of the Aughts

-one draft pick from each year of the 2000-2009 decade, ranked from worst to least-worst, with players who were drafted later than them and have had more successful careers.

Darko Milicic 2003 2^nd – b4 Melo, Wade, Bosh, Kaman, West, Barbosa, Perkins

- Darko has become the poster child for draft busts, being picked among the greatest draft in modern NBA history second overall. He never worked himself into the rotation on a title-contending Pistons team, and has since played for the Magic, Grizzlies, Knicks and Wolves averaging a career 6.1 points per game and 4.3 rebounds.

Kwame Brown 2001 1^st – b4 Chandler, Gasol, Richardson, Battier, Joe Johnson, ZBO, Tony Parker

- Kwame may have ruined the highschool to the pros trend after he was selected first overall fresh out of prom. Michael Jordan directed the Wizards to select Kwame to play alongside in Jordan's twilight years, but Kwame never developed the way experts thought he could. Kwame has since played for the Lakers, Grizzlies, Pistons, Bobcats and Warriors averaging a career 6.8 points and 5.6 rebounds.

Jay Williams 2002 2^nd – b4 Amar’e, Nene, Butler, Prince, Salmons, Boozer, Scola

- after a promising rookie year with the Bulls, Jay Williams suffered severe injuries in a motorcycle accident and never made it back to the NBA. Some poor decision-making and a violation of his NBA contract, and Willams' career was over. An unfortunate casualty, but a draft bust all the same.

Rafael Araujo 2004 8^th – b4 Iguodala, Telfair, Al Jefferson, Josh Smith, Nelson, Varejao

-  the Brazilian was drafted by Toronto and later shipped to Utah, but ended up out of the NBA in Russia and then back home in Brazil. A limited player, 'Hafa' averaged just 2.8 points and 2.8 rebounds in his short NBA career, and led to the firing of GM Rob Babcock.

Joe Alexander 2008 8^th – b4 Augustin, Lopez, Hibbert, Hickson, Ibaka, Batum, Chalmers

- unlike Araujo who didn't posses an NBA-level athleticism, Alexander was known for being hyper-athletic. Unfortunately his ability was never complemented by skill and he played just 67 career NBA games averaging 4.2 points and 1.8 rebounds and currently plays in Russia.

Hasheem Thabeet 2009 2^nd –b4 Curry, Jennings, Harden, Evans, Rubio, DeRozan, Holiday, Lawson

- Thabeet was supposed to be the next Mutombo but has struggled to be an effective NBA player. The 7'3" Tanzanian has dabbled in the D-League and through two seasons in Memphis and one in Houston he has averaged just 2.3 points and 2.8 rebounds. Thabeet may end up higher on this list by the end of his career, but he will need time to develop having first picked up a basketball at age 15.

Adam Morrison 2006 3^rd – b4 Roy, Gay, Redick, Rondo, Millsap

- Adam Morrison had a great college career and was named co-player of the year alongside JJ Redick. Morrison was known for his show of emotion after his Gonzaga team was eliminated in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament. Morrison was also the first pick by the Bobcats under Michael Jordan (which, as we've seen, is not a good sign). Morrison averaged just 7.5 points and 2.1 rebounds playing for the Bobcats and Lakers and currently finds success playing in Turkey.

Stromile Swift 2000 2^nd – b4 Crawford, Mike Miller, Hedo, Q, Magloire, Redd

- The Stro Show was as athletic as they come, but never developed a consistent NBA game. He played for the Grizzlies in both Vancouver and Memphis, and journeyed from the Grizzlies to the Rockets, Nets, Suns, 76ers and finally to China. In his NBA career, Stromile averaged 8.4 points and 4.6 rebounds and never lived up to his pre-draft hype.

Greg Oden 2007 1^st – b4 Durant, Horford, Conley, Noah, Stuckey, Chandler, Marc Gasol

- It isn't Greg Oden's fault for his many injuries that have limited his career, but he still ends up as a bust. There is still hope for a return, but expectations have been tempered significantly after Oden missed his entire rookie season and since being drafted in 2007 has only played in a total of 82 regular-season games. Oden has remained with the Trail Blazers organization throughout his stunted career averaging 9.4 points and 7.3 rebounds (when healthy). 

Marvin Williams 2005 2^nd – b4 Williams, Paul, Felton, Bynum, Granger, Lee, Monta

- The Hawks missed out on some of the greatest point guards of a generation of point guards by taking UNC's sixth man off of 'potential upside;' a dangerous concept. He has found a role on the Hawks similar to his in college coming off the bench, but that's not the type of player you look for in a second overall pick. In six seasons in Atlanta, Williams has averaged 11.7 points and 5.3 rebounds.