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NBA Draft: Every team’s least popular pick ever

By Cody Williams

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 30: Anthony Bennett
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 30: Anthony Bennett /
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Dec 22, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; A view of the Dallas Mavericks logo on the shorts of forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) during the game against the Atlanta Hawks at the American Airlines Center. The Hawks defeated the Mavericks 105-102. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 22, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; A view of the Dallas Mavericks logo on the shorts of forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) during the game against the Atlanta Hawks at the American Airlines Center. The Hawks defeated the Mavericks 105-102. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Dallas Mavericks – Randy White (1989)

Not one could really blame you if the name Randy White doesn’t ring a bell for even a relatively ardent NBA fan. After all, he played his first five years in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks, didn’t make any kind of considerable impact, and then never resurfaced in the league after that despite just entering his prime in terms of age. All of that combines to make him a wholly unpopular selection—but it’s just the beginning.

You see, the Mavericks were entranced by White for a couple of reasons. For one, he was coming out of Louisiana Tech as a big man and had earned a reputation in college of being almost the protégé or second coming of another alumnus from the school, Karl Malone. His numbers in college helped back that up a bit too as he was wildly productive. In the end, that led to Dallas feeling confident enough to take him with the No. 8 overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft.

Of course, taking him No. 8 also meant taking him over players like Nick Anderson, Mookie Blaylock, Tim Hardaway, Dana Barros, Shawn Kemp, and even someone like Vlade Divac at the end of the first round. When you add that to the mix of White only giving the Mavs five mediocre-at-best seasons, how do you not consider him unpopular?

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