NBA Draft: Every NBA team’s worst draft pick

23. Phoenix Suns – William Bedford (1986)

The 1986 Draft was one the Phoenix Suns would like to forget. The draft is often hit and miss, but just about every pick here was a miss on the Suns’ part, especially considering who they missed out on. Chris Washburn and Ron Tarpley, who were picked in the later rounds, easily could’ve made this list, but sixth overall pick Will Bedford leads the charge of this truly forgettable draft haul.

As a seven foot big with a career shooting percentage of 56.7 percent in college, he was projected to be a superstar. After all, if there’s one thing that translates well to the NBA, it’s size. What the Suns actually got was one 50 game season in which he averaged 6.7 points per game to go with 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists. A total of five franchise players were selected after Bedford in Ron Harper, Scott Skiles, Arvydas Sabonis, Mark Price, and Dennis Rodman.

Bedford’s career has been defined by his off-court failures as much as his on-court failures. On the court, his play was summed up with plays such as the one above. And once he retired from the NBA, he succumbed to frequent drug abuse, and was arrested multiple times for marijuana possession.

“Bad boy” is a term that sums up Will Bedford well, so it’s fitting that his only ring came with the 1990 Detroit Pistons.

Next: 22: Golden State Warriors