Fansided

5 biggest NBA Draft busts in history

By John Buhler

Nov 10, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Anthony Bennett (15) looks on against the New York Knicks at Air Canada Centre. The Knicks beat the Raptors 111-109. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 10, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Anthony Bennett (15) looks on against the New York Knicks at Air Canada Centre. The Knicks beat the Raptors 111-109. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 10, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Anthony Bennett (15) looks on against the New York Knicks at Air Canada Centre. The Knicks beat the Raptors 111-109. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 10, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Anthony Bennett (15) looks on against the New York Knicks at Air Canada Centre. The Knicks beat the Raptors 111-109. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

With former NBA Draft Lottery picks Michael Beasley and Anthony Bennett not enjoying success the NBA in 2016, here are the five biggest draft busts to date.

At the end of February, news surfaced about two former NBA Draft Lottery picks Michael Beasley and Anthony Bennett that through hindsight would make even the most absent-minded general managers wonder how these two players went so high in their respective NBA Drafts.

Beasley was named the foreign MVP of the Chinese Basketball Association. Not to terribly knock his accomplishment on the court overseas, but Beasley did go No. 2 overall in the 2008 NBA Draft after one year with the Kansas State Wildcats in the Big 12.

Bennett went No. 1 overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2013 NBA Draft after one season with the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels in Mountain West. Since going No. 1 to the Cavaliers, Bennett has been on three NBA teams (Cleveland, Minnesota Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors). Bennett now plays for the Raptors D-League affiliate, the Raptors 905, after being cut by his hometown team in late February.

It’s easy to see that these two forwards will go down in NBA history as two of the biggest busts in an NBA Draft. Players bust for a myriad of reasons: injuries, entering the draft too early, bad work ethic, bad organizational culture, etc.

These busts are often look worse through hindsight, drafting a player who failed with their team in the NBA only to miss out on a perennial All-Star of Hall of Fame caliber talent. Time will tell how bad the selections of Beasley and Bennett were by the Heat and Cavaliers, respectively. Here are the five biggest NBA Draft busts to date.

Next: 5. Kwame Brown

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