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Whatever happened to these 30 college basketball stars who flamed out in the NBA?

By Mike Phillips

NEWARK, NJ - JUNE 28: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (R) of the Kentucky Wildcats greets NBA Commissioner David Stern (L) after he was selected number two overall by the Charlotte Bobcats during the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft at Prudential Center on June 28, 2012 in Newark, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - JUNE 28: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (R) of the Kentucky Wildcats greets NBA Commissioner David Stern (L) after he was selected number two overall by the Charlotte Bobcats during the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft at Prudential Center on June 28, 2012 in Newark, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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10. College basketball stars who flamed out in NBA: Shelden Williams

The next portion of the list will rely heavily on college basketball’s greatest rivalry between Duke and North Carolina. These two schools produce plenty of collegiate stars, thus significantly increasing the potential for busts at the NBA level.

One player who looked like he would be an NBA star was Shelden Williams, Duke’s all-time leader in blocked shots and rebounds when he graduated. Williams was a key presence on the Blue Devils’ Final Four squad in 2004 and parlayed his college success into a lottery selection in the 2006 NBA Draft.

The Atlanta Hawks took Williams with the fifth overall pick but he failed to impress during 31 starts in his rookie season. Williams was dealt to the Sacramento Kings in the middle of his second season, beginning an odyssey where he would play for six teams in the next six seasons.

None of these landing spots gave Williams a chance to stick and he washed out of the NBA by the end of the 2012 season. After spending three years overseas, Williams retired and resurfaced a few years later as he entered the coaching ranks for the G League’s College Park Skyhawks.