Fansided

NBA Draft: Every NBA team’s worst draft pick

By David Rouben

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 27: Anthony Bennett of UNLV poses for a photo with NBA Commissioner David Stern after Bennett was drafted
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 27: Anthony Bennett of UNLV poses for a photo with NBA Commissioner David Stern after Bennett was drafted /
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03/10/05-RAPTORS_MEDIA_DAY-Rafael Araujo during a TV interview. The Toronto Raptors held their annual media day at the ACC in Toronto on Monday, where they posed for all of their official team photos, and were available for TV, radio, and newspaper interviews.(Photo by Peter Power/The Toronto Star)pmp (Photo by Peter Power/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
03/10/05-RAPTORS_MEDIA_DAY-Rafael Araujo during a TV interview. The Toronto Raptors held their annual media day at the ACC in Toronto on Monday, where they posed for all of their official team photos, and were available for TV, radio, and newspaper interviews.(Photo by Peter Power/The Toronto Star)pmp (Photo by Peter Power/Toronto Star via Getty Images) /

10. Toronto Raptors – Rafael Araujo (2004)

Andrea Bargnani, another terrible first overall pick, could’ve easily made this list. However, Bargnani is still in the NBA, and when he was with the Raptors, he made his mark. He is sixth in most games played with 433 and currently stands as the fourth highest scorer in franchise history – although, to be fair, the gap between him and Vince Carter in third is enormous.

The same can’t be said for Rafael Araujo, who burned out quicker than a match. He only spent three seasons in the NBA and never played more than 59 games in a year. Additionally, he got in trouble for a positive steroid test in 2002, while his play at BYU was characterized by foul play, the most notable instance of which came when he elbowed Andrew Bogut in the head.

It’s a wonder what the Raptors ever saw in him, but this was the first in a string of moves that made GM Rob Babcock a permanent villain in the eyes of Torontonians, with his most unforgivable move still being the Vince Carter trade. When Araujo got moved to Utah, he was hoping to get a new lease on life, but there was no room for him in the frontcourt, so he spent a brief period in Russia before going back to Brazil.

There were a ton of options that Toronto could’ve picked instead, but the one that sticks out the most is future Finals MVP Andre Iguodala, who went a pick later.

Next: 9: Milwaukee Bucks

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