NBA Draft: Every NBA team’s worst draft pick

22. Golden State Warriors – Joe Smith (1995)

Even though the Golden State Warriors have had much better success in terms of drafting, it’s hard for fans to look at this photo without cringing. Joe Smith may have put up outstanding numbers at Maryland, earning Player of the Year honors in his draft year, but Smith is a cautionary tale of how college success doesn’t always translate directly to the NBA.

Antonio McDyess, Jerry Stackhouse, Rasheed Wallace, and Kevin Garnett rounded out the top five and they were all no-brainer selections. The Warriors were obviously hoping to get the same type of quality that would be found in those players, but he only lasted two and a half seasons before getting traded.

He played regular starting minutes and averaged 17 points per game in his first two seasons, however his rookie deal was expiring and he expressed a desire to move to the East coast. Once he got traded to Philadelphia, it set off a trend where trading Joe Smith became the second move that any NBA GM would make. The vibes that he sent off were so bad that he got tossed around the league as if he were a human hot potato.

Per Basketball Reference, Smith is tied for first in terms of most franchises played for with 12. The most time he ever spent with one team was five years with the Minnesota Timberwolves, where his stats were largely propped up by Kevin Garnett. At this point, it’s a real debate as to whether his playing career or music career was better.

Next: 21: Miami Heat