NBA: 16 Players We'd Like to See Get Another Shot

In the NBA, just like every other sport, whether it be the NFL, MLB or NHL, there are drafts, which are held annually every year.

During those drafts, fans hope and pray that their favorite team doesn't mess up or doesn't pick a player they loathe. But it happens. An unfortunate scenario is that some previously high-rated players have horrible careers and eventually earn the "bust" label. It's a bad aspect of the game, but it happens and as fans, there's nothing we can do about it.

But what exactly would you define as "bust"?

For me, I would have to say something like this: A bust is a player who had a great career prior to the professional level and because of that, they earned a high draft selection. But once they reached the top level, they just couldn't get things going and couldn't put up good numbers. They would eventually just drift off into mediocrity.

In recent memory, there have been numerous players that have gone on to have average NBA careers, but were once highly-touted.

Players such as Hasheem Thabeet in 2009, Greg Oden in 2007, Nikoloz Tskitishvili in 2002, the back-to-back selections of Yaroslav Korolev and Fran Vasquez in 2005, Marcus Fizer in 2000 and countless other selections. Those players, along with many others, will forever live in infamy for having the chance to become great, but not seizing the opportunity.

Like I said, it's not a good thing by any means, but it happens and there's nothing we can do about it. To make up for it, there are those pleasant player surprises, much like the show Jeremy Lin put on in New York earlier this year. Instances like that make up for the whole bust thing.

In the following slides, I will feature players that we, as fans, would like to see get another shot in the NBA. This list consists of former players (2000 to the present), somewhat considered busts, that we'd like to see don an NBA uniform one more time. Additionally, these are athletes that we'd like to see get the opportunity to get some solid playing time and show that they were once worth that selection.

I do realize that the possibilities of these instances happening are slim-to-none, but it's the NBA, whose motto is: "Where Amazing Happens".

Note: As stated previously, the players listed in this slideshow were chosen no earlier than the 2000 Draft. Additionally, there are players that were not chosen in the first-round of their respective draft, so they really wouldn't be considered a "true" bust. Regardless, they are still a "bust" in their own way and that's why they are on this list.

Rashad McCants, Shooting Guard (2005)

Rashad McCants could have become an electric player in the NBA, but certain things just didn't work out.

McCants played at UNC Chapel Hill as part of one of the best recruiting classes ever, joining prior to the 2002-03 season alongside Raymond Felton, Sean May and David Noel. During his freshman campaign, McCants led the Tar Heels in scoring with 17.5 points per game.

Then as a sophomore, McCants led the ACC in scoring with 20 points per game. The team drew a No. 6 seed, but would lose in the second round to the third-seeded Texas Longhorns. Despite an early exit in the tournament, McCants was a second-team All-American.

His junior season, his last at Chapel Hill, had McCants and company as favorites to win the tournament. Teaming McCants up with Felton, May, Noel, senior Jawad Williams and freshman Marvin Williams, the team went 33-4 in the regular season and earned a No. 1 seed in the tournament. McCants was perhaps their best contributor that season, averaging 16 points per game.

The Tar Heels easily won their first two games of the tournament. However, they narrowly defeated Villanova 67-66 in the Sweet Sixteen, with McCants as leading scorer at 17 points. Chapel Hill would go on to to beat the sixth-seeded Wisconsin team 88-82 in the Elite 8, McCants pouring in 21 of those points.

Next in the Final Four was Michigan State, an easy defeat at 87-71. The Heels would go on to play Illinois in the championship game, winning 75-70—McCants scored just 14 points. He knew his draft stock would not get any higher.

This led to McCants foregoing his senior season to enter the draft. The Timberwolves selected him 14th overall; his college buddies Marvin Williams (2nd, Hawks) and Sean May (13th, Bobcats) were also chosen.

During his first two seasons in Minnesota, McCants was hampered by injuries and rarely saw a significant amount of playing time. During that span, he started only 12 games and averaged 7.9 and 5 points, respectively per year. With low numbers, he quickly fell out of favor with the fans and was subject to many trade rumors.

However, the following season, Minnesota had a very young team. McCants gained the opportunity to receive significant playing time and a spot in the starting rotation. He did fairly well, starting for 24 games, while playing about 27 minutes per contest. During this season, McCants averaged a career-high 14.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

The 2008-09 season was thought to be even better for McCants. But after his minutes and stats decreased, McCants (with Calvin Booth) was sent to Sacramento for Bobby Brown and Shelden Williams. Yet, less than a year later, McCants was waived by Houston after participating in 24 games with the Rockets.

He has yet to find his way back to the NBA, which is a slight disappointment. McCants showed all the signs of an electric scorer and I thought he would eventually become a great player like Gilbert Arenas. But that wasn't the case.

I'd like to see McCants get another shot and I'm sure I'm not the only one. He showed that he could become a solid player when he's given a significant amount of playing time. He may have never become that great starter, but McCants could have become a legitimate sixth man.

Adam Morrison, Shooting Guard (2006)

I'm sure most of y'all knew Morrison was going to be on here at some point. Personally, I was never a fan of Morrison, but I know there's a lot of other people out there that would love to see him don an NBA uniform once again.

Morrison, who played collegiately at Gonzaga, was thought to be the "next Larry Bird". He was hyped so much while in college that people once considered him to be a can't-miss prospect. Yes, Morrison played exceptionally at Gonzaga, especially during his junior season.

During that campaign, Morrison posted averages of 28.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. His play that season earned him the Oscar Robertson Trophy, which is annually given to the most outstanding player in college basketball. Morrison and Duke guard J.J. Redick combined for a memorable season that year, as both seemed to battle back and forth for player supremacy.

Morrison was thought to be the better pro prospect, thus earning him the third-overall selection by Michael Jordan's Charlotte Bobcats—Redick, on the other hand, was taken with the 11th pick by Orlando.

Morrison received a sufficient amount of playing time during his rookie season, playing in 78 games while starting 23. He participated in almost thirty minutes per night while averaging 11.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists on a nightly basis.

However, he lost his starting spot midway through his rookie season, mainly because of his poor defense and his 37-percent shooting percentage which was very unexpected of Morrison, who many considered to be a "lights-out" shooter.

Prior to the start of his sophomore season, Morrison suffered a severe injury in his left knee while playing the Lakers. An MRI scan showed that Morrison had torn his ACL and would miss the entire season.

On Feb. 7, 2009, Morrison and Shannon Brown were dealt to the Lakers in exchange for Vladimir Radmanovic at the trade deadline. While in Los Angeles, Morrison received limited playing time, mainly because he would automatically be listed behind Kobe Bryant, Shannon Brown and Sasha Vujacic on the depth chart.

However, the Lakers would go on to win the championship that season. They'd also win the championship the following season, even though Morrison sat on the bench for the majority of the season -- the former Gonzaga star played in just 31 games, totaling 241 minutes (7.8 minutes per game).

After being released by the Lakers, Morrison signed with the Wizards on Sept. 25, 2010. He would be released on Oct. 21, as the season hadn't even started yet. Morrison has not signed with any NBA team since he was cut that day.

In January 2012, it was announced that Morrison had signed a contract with Beşiktaş Milangaz, a Turkish professional basketball team.

Morrison had stated that he'd love to make a return to the NBA, but it seems more unlikely by the day. It's a shame that he was never able to keep it together and become that next great player, i.e. Larry Bird as everyone predicted. He could have become a great player, but he just didn't fit the bill.

It's quite the shame that Morrison wasn't able to have a serviceable NBA career. But there is still time for him to make a mild comeback. As stated above, I don't really care if he makes a successful return, but there was no doubt that he'd earn a spot on this list because of his fan base.

(And by the way, Morrison has more championships than LeBron James, so I guess his career was somewhat successful even though his stats did not reflect it.)

NOTE: This is what I'll always remember Morrison for: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlS1_WWTr-Y

Stromile Swift, Power Forward (2000)

Yes, I do realize that we will never see Stromile Swift back in the NBA. He's a veteran that is way past his prime and he'll never don an NBA uniform again.

But he's strictly on here because of "The Stro Show". Swift was an electric dunker and a fan favorite that energized crowds and put up decent numbers in the process.

In the 2000 draft, perhaps the worst draft of all-time, Swift was taken second overall by the then-Vancouver Grizzlies, who would move to Memphis the following year. Primarily used as a player off the bench, Swift averaged just 4.9 points per game in about 16 minutes per night during his rookie season.

Over the next few seasons, the former LSU star averaged 11.8, 9.7, 9.4 and 10.1 points per game for the Grizzlies. After the 2004-05 season, Swift signed a four-year, $22 million deal with the Houston Rockets. He'd spend one season in Texas before being traded back to the Grizzlies in 2006, as part of a deal that also landed the Grizzlies the draft rights to Rudy Gay in exchange for Shane Battier.

During his first season back in Memphis, Swift averaged 7.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while starting 18 of the 54 games he participated in. However, on Feb. 4, 2008, Swift was traded to the Nets in exchange for Jason Collins.

His minutes decreased slightly in New Jersey and it appeared that he would not be there for very long. On March 2, 2009, Swift was waived by the Nets. Two days later, the Phoenix Suns signed him to a contract for the rest of the season. However, he only played in 13 games for the Suns, averaging three points and 2.5 rebounds in about nine minutes per night.

The Suns would not re-sign him at the conclusion of the season, making him a free agent. He'd fail to latch on to another team and has not appeared in an NBA game since.

But Swift will always be remembered for his electrifying slams and his two-handed gesture after a fantastic dunk, at least in the Blues City. A perennial fan favorite, Swift was a solid player that did good things for the city of Memphis.

Frankly, it'd be awesome to see Swift in an NBA uniform again and dunk one more time. He's still just 32 years old, so if he were to return to the NBA, he'd have a decent year or two left to make an impact. There's no doubt in my mind that he could do it, but a team would have to give him the opportunity to do so.

David Harrison, Center (2004)

Yes, there is a good chance that Harrison is strictly on this list because he's one of my favorite players, but I'm sure I'm not the only person in America that would like to see Harrison return to the NBA.

The big man had a solid collegiate career at Colorado, averaging no less than 13.9 points and seven rebounds per game in any of his three seasons. His best season came during his junior campaign when the center averaged 17.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 63.1 percent from the field.

At the time of his departure, Harrison was the school's all-time leader in blocked shots. His successful collegiate career earned him the 29th-overall selection in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers.

Harrison would immediately become the team's second or third center on the depth chart, depending on where Scot Pollard ranked at that moment in time. However, Pollard would go on to suffer numerous injuries and Harrison would reach No. 2 on the depth chart for most of his rookie season.

The incident widely known as the "Malice in the Palace" happened during his rookie campaign and because of the suspensions to fellow frontcourt member Jermaine O'Neal, along with Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson, Harrison's minutes significantly increased.

During his rookie campaign, the big man started fourteen games, while playing in about 18 minutes per contest and averaging 6.1 points and 3.1 rebounds. Although, he played in just 43 games before missing the season's final two months because of an injury.

The following season, Harrison played in 67 games, starting 17 of them. Along the way, the former Colorado star averaged 5.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in about 15 minutes of action.

Harrison's third season was frustrating to say the least, as Harrison saw his minutes decrease significantly, as he played in just 24 games while averaging about eight minutes per game. It got slightly better the following season, as Harrison participated in 55 games, averaging 4.2 points and 2.1 rebounds in about 13 minutes per game.

The Pacers decided not to retain him at the end of the season and he would become a free agent. Minnesota signed him to their practice squad, but nothing materialized.

With no return to the NBA, Harrison went to China to play basketball and showed that he could become a great player. During his first season in Beijing, Harrison averaged 22 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.

The following season, for Guangdong, the big man saw his minutes decrease by nearly sixteen per game, but he still went out there and accumulated averages of 16.7 points and 8.8 rebounds.

The last I've heard anything about Harrison, the center is playing for Tianjin Ronggang in China and averaged 15.5 points and 7 rebounds per game in about 32 minutes per contest for the 2011-12 season.

I fully believe that Harrison could have become a legitimate center in the NBA if he had gotten quality playing time and was thrown into a better situation. With the Pacers, Harrison was never able to receive a consistent amount of playing time and at that point, the franchise was very confusing, as they constantly had to deal with the issues of O'Neal, Artest, and Jackson, among others.

It just wasn't a good situation and he could have become a decent NBA player if he was in a different system.

Harrison is just 29 years old. Although highly doubtful, he's still got some time left and is currently in the latter part of the prime of his career.

If Bobby Simmons can make a comeback to the NBA, Harrison can do the same. Despite having numerous problems in his past, he's still worth a shot. I think he can become a decent contributor if a team gave him an ample amount of playing time.

But I can't see him returning to the NBA, which is quite a shame. Harrison was a very talented player at Colorado and had massive amounts of potential, but the pieces of the puzzle just weren't fitting right.

Salim Stoudamire, Point Guard (2005)

Unfortunately for Stoudamire, he wasn't a victim of being a bad player. He was a victim of being in his coaches' doghouse and failing to receive quality playing time because of that.

Playing collegiately at Arizona, Stoudamire was a lights-out shooter that could do amazing things with the basketball -- he led the NCAA in three-point shooting percentage in the 2004-05 season when he shot a spectacular 50.4 percent from beyond the arc.

However, he was never a prototypical point guard that would give you six-to-eight assists per game, but he was still a solid distributor. His stats don't reflect that as he never averaged more than three assists per contest in his four years in Arizona, but he could still dish the ball away.

During his four-year career with the Wildcats, Stoudamire averaged 12.8, 13, 16.3 and 18.4 points per game, respectively. He was also a career 45.8-percent shooter from beyond the arc, as well as a career 87-percent shooter from the free-throw line.

Additionally, over the course of his collegiate career, Stoudamire helped lead the Wildcats to a Sweet Sixteen appearance, along with two visits to the Elite Eight.

He is undoubtedly one of the best players in the school's storied history and because of that he was chosen with the first pick of the second round by the Atlanta Hawks (31st overall).

Stoudamire's best season came during his rookie year when the guard played in about twenty minutes per night while averaging 9.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists. However, his minutes decreased the following season, as it became clear that he had gotten himself into head coach Mike Woodson's doghouse.

His second season saw him average just 7.7 points per game in about 17 minutes per night. It got even worse during his third season, as his minutes were lowered all the way to a little over 11 per game. Because of that, Stoudamire averaged just 5.7 points per game.

After the season was over, the Hawks did not retain him, thus making him a free agent. He was not picked up by any other team and then spent about two seasons in the NBA Developmental League. In 2011, Stoudamire played for the Italian team, Teramo Basket. That's the last we ever heard of him.

It's quite the shame because Stoudamire was a great talent. He's one of the best shooters I've ever seen and he could have been a key component to a team's success, whether it be off the bench or in the starting lineup.

I believe he could have done great things in the NBA if he were given a great opportunity. But he just wasn't given the shot in Atlanta, mainly because of his rift with his head coach. And that led to the demise of his career, which is a bitter disappointment.

There is still time that he could make his way back to the NBA, but it seems more and more doubtful by the day. I'd love to see him back in the NBA, just not with the Knicks, the team that his former head coach is leading. I still believe Stoudamire could sign with a team today and ultimately produce for that franchise.

Dajuan Wagner, Point Guard (2002)

In my honest opinion, and I'm not saying this because I'm from and currently live in Memphis, Dajuan Wagner's story is one of the sadder ones.

Perhaps best known for his days at Camden High School, Wagner scored 100 points in a single game while he was still in high school. That's an amazing feat, even though it was not in college or in the NBA simply because when you think about it, Michael Jordan never did it. Neither did LeBron James, Derrick Rose, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Dwyane Wade or Kobe Bryant.

After that game, Wagner immediately became a highly-touted prospect.

Wagner ultimately decided to attend the University of Memphis for college, traveling all the way from New Jersey. Playing under John Calipari, Wagner played brilliantly at Memphis, averaging 21.2 points, 3.6 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game. However, Calipari would revoke Wagner's scholarship at the end of the season, forcing Wagner to enter the NBA Draft.

Luckily for him, teams were salivating over him and he was ultimately selected with the sixth-overall selection by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

During his rookie season, Wagner showed flashes of brilliance, as he participated in 47 games, starting 24 of them. Along the way, the point guard averaged 13.4 points and 2.8 assists in nearly 30 minutes of action per night. The following season, Wagner saw his minutes significantly decrease, as he played in 44 games and averaged just 6.5 points in about 16 minutes per contest.

Then it really went downhill for Wagner.

During the 2004-05 season, the guard was hospitalized for ulcerative colitis. He played in just eleven games for the Cavaliers that season, averaging a career-low four points per game. Cleveland did not exercise the option at the end of the season, thus making Wagner a free agent.

Unfortunately, his condition did not agree with his medication and he would eventually be referred to a New York medical expert after talking with legendary coach Larry Brown. On Oct. 25, 2005, Wagner underwent surgery to remove his entire colon.

In April 2006, Wagner announced that he would be attempting a comeback to the NBA. On Sept. 22, 2006, the Warriors signed the point guard to a two-year deal. However, on Nov. 20, the Warriors bought out Wagner's contract after he had just played in one game for the team.

That was the last we ever heard of Wagner, as no team decided to take a shot on him. It was quite a shame. The player once thought to become the next Allen Iverson just couldn't have things go his way. He was a great player that had immeasurable potential, but due to debilitating health problems, he was seemingly forced out of the NBA.

Personally, I believe Wagner could have become a great player. The year after his arrival, the team selected LeBron James with the first pick and I think he and "The King" could have made a dynamic duo. But we were never really able to see that, which is very unfortunate. Wagner could have done great things in the NBA if the dominoes fell the right way, but they didn't and we'll never know what could have been.

I'd love to see him back in the NBA somehow, whether it be as a player, coach, analyst, commentator or whatever. He's just one of those players.

Nick Fazekas, Power Forward (2007)

Some of you may be wondering, "Nick Fazekas? Really, Nick Fazekas?" or "Nick Fazekas? Who is he and why is he on this list?"

Well, believe it or not, the power forward was one hell of a collegiate player while attending Nevada. Even though he isn't considered a "bust", he still makes the list because of his stellar collegiate career. He is just one of three players on this list that weren't first-round picks.

Starting with his freshman season, Fazekas immediately came in and contributed and eventually helped lead the Wolfpack to a Sweet Sixteen appearance. The following season, the forward was given even more playing time, while averaging 20.7 points and 9.4 rebounds per game—Nevada earned another tournament appearance and Fazekas was named the WAC Player of the Year.

The following season, Fazekas was even better, as he increased his averages to 21.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Yet again, the Wolfpack made the tournament and Fazekas earned his second-straight WAC Player of the Year Award. His senior season was perhaps his best, as the big man averaged 20.4 points per game, while bringing down a career-high 11.1 rebounds per contest.

His play during his senior season earned him his third-straight conference player of the year award, a feat that had only been matched by Keith Van Horn, formerly of the University of Utah. Fazekas is also the school's all-time leading scorer, as he passed Edgar Jones for that honor.

Needless to say, Fazekas had a stellar collegiate career. But just because he did extremely well in college doesn't mean that his game would perfectly translate into the NBA.

The power forward would eventually be selected with the 34th-overall selection by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2007 NBA Draft. During his rookie season, Fazekas played in just four games for Dallas, totaling nine minutes. He was waived by the team on Feb. 19, 2008.

About a week later, the Clippers signed Fazekas to back-to-back 10-day contracts, liked what they saw and signed him for the rest of the season. He'd play 22 games for the team for the rest of the season, averaging 4.7 points and 3.9 rebounds in about 12 minutes per game.

However, he was not retained at the end of the season and he failed to latch on to another NBA team. He has since played professional basketball overseas in France, the Philippines and Belgium.

I firmly believe that Fazekas would never have become a full-fledged starter in the NBA, but he could have become a solid back-up. He reminded me a lot of Kris Humphries, who has successfully revitalized his NBA career since going to New Jersey. Fazekas had a great collegiate career and I think his game could have transformed well into the NBA, if he were given the right opportunities.

Troy Bell, Point Guard (2003)

When people think of busts, Troy Bell's name typically does not come up, mainly because he was a 16th-overall selection by the Celtics in 2003. But the highly-decorated player was undoubtedly a bust.

Playing collegiately at Boston College, Bell was a beast and was widely considered to be one of the best players in the nation. During his sophomore campaign, Bell averaged 20.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, thus earning him the Big East Player of the Year Award, although it was shared with Troy Murphy.

The following season, Bell had an even better season, averaging 21.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Bell's senior campaign was by far his best collegiate season, as the point guard averaged 25.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest. His play that season earned him Big East Player of the Year honors yet again, joining an elite class of Troy Murphy, Richard Hamilton, Patrick Ewing and Chris Mullin to win the award multiple times.

Bell ended his collegiate career by breaking the school record for most career points with 2,632; surpassing Dana Barros.

With such a decorated career, Bell was thought to become a lottery selection. Many thought he would become a great point guard in the NBA, even though he was more of a scorer than anything. But scouts still thought he'd flourish and even though he wasn't taken in the lottery, Bell was considered to be a "steal" when he was taken with the 16th-overall selection.

The Celtics used one of their two selections on Bell with Dahntay Jones being the other pick. The Grizzlies, who drafted Kendrick Perkins and Marcus Banks with their first-round selections, swapped picks with Boston, thus shipping Bell and Jones to Memphis.

Bell was immediately thought to come in and serve as the primary back-up point guard to Jason Williams, while fighting for the spot with Earl Watson. However, Watson proved to be the wiser decision and Bell was third on the depth chart.

And it just went down from there.

Bell played in just six games during his rookie season, totaling just 34 minutes. He scored just 11 points, while grabbing four rebounds and dishing out four assists. He also had six turnovers and committed six fouls.

Apparently during those 34 minutes, the Grizzlies didn't like what they saw. On Nov. 1, 2004, the Grizzlies waived Bell. He'd fail to land on to another team and his NBA career was done at that point.

Since his departure from the NBA, Bell has bounced around overseas, playing for numerous teams in Germany, Italy and France. Currently, Bell plays for Pallacanestro Sant'Animo in Italy.

The once highly-decorated player could just never get it going in the NBA. Maybe it was the system, maybe it was because there were just better players in front of him or maybe it was because he was just a bad player and the Grizzlies realized that. But whatever the option, it would have been nice to see what Bell could have done with quality minutes in the NBA.

Looks like we'll never know now. It'd be nice to get the opportunity, though.

Sean May, Power Forward (2005)

Luck just hasn't been on the Bobcats' side when it comes to drafting.

Starting with their inaugural season in 2004, the franchise missed out on Dwight Howard and was forced to pick Emeka Okafor with the second-overall selection. The following year, they held two of the first 13 selections in the draft, only to choose Raymond Felton and the player pictured in this slide.

In 2006, the front office decided to draft the aforementioned Adam Morrison with the third-overall selection.

The following year, they selected Brandan Wright with the eighth overall selection, which made sense at the time. Now, with players like Joakim Noah, Nick Young, Wilson Chandler, Rodney Stuckey, among others chosen behind Wright, it looks like a foolish decision.

In 2009, they selected point guard D.J. Augustin, who is a decent player, but has yet to develop into the player they were hoping for. They also used the 20th selection on Alexis Ajinca, who is just one of three players chosen in the first round from that class that is not currently on an NBA team.

So yeah, the Bobcats have had some trouble drafting and properly utilizing young players.

Sean May was one of those casualties.

May was a great player in college at North Carolina, but he just could not become that powerful forward the Bobcats were expecting. Unfortunately for May, injuries helped railroad his career, which now appears to be the main cause of why he is not in the NBA at this point in time.

May was undoubtedly a great player at North Carolina, as he helped lead the Tar Heels to their fourth national championship. During his junior season, May and Co. took the Heels all the way, as May was selected as the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after he poured in 26 points on 10-for-11 shooting and grabbed ten rebounds.

His draft stock would not get any higher and he was taken with the 13th overall pick by the Bobcats in the 2005 draft.

His rookie season looked promising, as the power forward participated in 23 games while averaging 8.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. However, an injury in December prematurely ended his rookie campaign.

May showed glimpses of hope the following season, as the former Tar Heel averaged 11.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. However, he only participated in 35 games that season.

May was expected to be a key contributor during his third season, but nearly a month before the season even started, he announced that he would have to undergo microfracture surgery on his right knee and would miss the entire 2007-08 season.

May suffered great after-effects from the surgery, as he was not able to get on track the following season. He was constantly tired and had many conditioning problems. He also battled tendinitis throughout the season and managed to play in just 24 games, including 12 starts. The forward averaged just 3.9 points and 2.9 rebounds in a little over 12 minutes per game that season.

At the conclusion of the season, the Bobcats decided not to retain May, making him a free agent. Eventually, he signed a one-year deal with Sacramento and played in a career-high 37 games, but averaged career-lows across the board.

Prior to the 2010-11 season, the Nets signed him to a one-year deal, but he suffered a stress fracture in his left foot and the team released him on Sept. 7, 2010. He is still considered a free agent, but it seems unlikely that a team will take a shot on the injury-ridden forward.

It's really disappointing as May was a terrific collegiate player. But things just didn't work out for him, as he constantly battled injuries. If he hadn't been so injury-prone, he could have become a good role player. He may have never developed into a starter, but I wouldn't have doubted seeing him as a solid player off of the bench.

But we'll never know now, as injuries mightily derailed his career. I, for one, would like to see him attempt a minor comeback and make another NBA appearance, but it seems more and more unlikely by the day.

Joe Alexander, Small Forward (2008)

It's a shame that Joe Alexander could never get things going. He is one of just three players that was chosen in the first-round of the 2008 draft class that is currently not on an NBA team, along with Alexis Ajinca (20th, Charlotte) and J.R. Giddens (30th, Boston).

However, it was somewhat expected for those two to not have great NBA careers, but many thought differently of Alexander, who was taken with the eighth overall selection by Milwaukee.

Alexander was a product of one good year. Over the last few years, we've seen many players have one good year and later earn a big contract or warrant a high selection in the draft. Alexander was a product of the latter after having a stellar junior campaign.

During his third collegiate season, Alexander was undoubtedly the Mountaineers' leader. The small forward averaged 16.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per contest that season and was elected to the first-team All-Big East squad.

During the Big East tournament, Alexander led the Mountaineers to an upset of the 15th-ranked Connecticut Huskies, as he scored a career-high 34 points, the most ever by a Mountaineer in the Big East tournament. However, they'd go on to lose to Georgetown in the semifinals.

The team was still good enough to make the tournament, albeit a No. 7 seed. They faced a No. 10 seed, Arizona, in the first round and beat them, successfully moving on.

In the second round, they faced the second-seeded Duke Blue Devils, eventually earning the 73-67 upset victory behind Alexander's 22 points and 11 rebounds. However, they would lose to Xavier in the following round, thus ending the Mountaineers' journey.

The tournament propelled Alexander to a high draft stock. Prior to the NCAA tournament, many scouts had Alexander as a late first-round selection. But with his performances, he was a lottery selection. And he would become that, as he was taken with the eighth-overall pick.

During his rookie season, Alexander's stat sheet looked like this: 59 games, 12.1 minutes per game, 41.6-shooting percentage, 34.8-percent from beyond the arc, 4.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, 0.7 assists.

Prior to the 2009-10 season, Alexander was expected to get more playing time, as the team traded away Richard Jefferson. However, that wasn't the case as he was part of a trade that sent him to Chicago on Feb. 18, 2010. He played just eight games for the Bulls, totaling 29 minutes.

Alexander signed with the Hornets prior to the 2010-11 season, but was waived on Nov. 13. We have not heard his name since then, which is a shame.

Alexander just turned out to be one of those players that was a product of one good season. However, it'd still be nice to see Alexander in the NBA, as he could have been a solid contributor off the bench if he were in the right system. I don't think he would have ever become a night-to-night starter, but I believe he could have been a quality role player. But oh well, we can't do anything about it now.

It'd be cool to see him back in the NBA though, so we could see what he is capable of.

Acie Law, Point Guard (2007)

Acie Law was one hell of a player at Texas A&M, but he just couldn't become the player the Hawks were hoping for when they chose him with the 11th overall selection in the 2007 draft.

During his freshman season with the Aggies, Law started 12 of the team's 27 games. He'd become the team's full-time starter during his sophomore season, as he saw his stats increase to 12 points, 4.9 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game while leading the team to an NIT appearance after they had gone 7-21 the season before.

Law improved during his junior season, as he led Texas A&M to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1987. He was clearly the team's best player, as he averaged 16.1 points, 4 assists and 3.4 rebounds per contest. Law and the Aggies beat Syracuse in the first round and the team appeared to be headed to the Sweet Sixteen before LSU's Darrell Mitchell hit a three in crunch time to give the Tigers the 58-57 victory.

During his senior season, Law had the best season of his collegiate career, as he averaged 18.1 points, five assists and 3.3 rebounds per game. With his leadership, at one point, the Aggies were ranked sixth in the national rankings, the highest ranking the Aggies had ever achieved.

On Feb. 3, 2007, Law led the Aggies to an upset of the then No. 6 Kansas Jayhawks, becoming the first ever Big 12 South team to defeat Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse.

Despite losing in the Big 12 tournament, the Aggies earned a three-seed in the NCAA Tournament. In their first-round matchup against Penn, Law had a game-high 20 points in the Aggies' 68-52 victory. The second round pitted Texas A&M against Louisville, a game they would eventually win.

The next round, the Aggies had a tough matchup against the second-seeded Memphis Tigers. The game was close throughout, but the Aggies came up short, losing 65-64, thus ending Law's collegiate career.

Law's performance over the season earned him a possible high draft selection, as he collected the Bob Cousy Award and was also elected as the Chip Hilton Player of the Year. His play throughout the season earned him a possible high draft selection and it happened as the Hawks took him with the 11th-overall pick.

After playing scarcely through his first two seasons, Law was traded to the Warriors. Less than six months later, Law and Stephen Jackson were dealt to Charlotte for Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic. Not even three months later, on Feb. 18, Law and Ronald Murray were traded to Chicago in exchange for Tyrus Thomas.

It was the third time in less than seven months that Law had been traded and during that span, he only played five games for the Warriors, nine for the Bobcats and twelve for the Bulls, receiving little playing time in all places.

A free agent during the offseason, Law latched on with the Grizzlies, only to be waived on Dec. 4. During that time, he participated in 11 games for a grand total of 94 minutes. The Warriors quickly picked him up and played him in 40 games over the rest of the season. He was not retained at season's end and we have not heard from him since.

In January 2012, Law reportedly signed a contract with Olympiakos B.C. for the rest of the season. It doesn't appear that he will return to the NBA and it's quite a shame, as Law was a great collegiate player.

If given the opportunity, I believe he could have done well. He may never have become that daily starting point guard, but he could have been a solid sixth man, in my opinion. But it looks like we'll never know now.

Juan Dixon, Guard (2002)

One of the most decorated college basketball players ever, Juan Dixon was never able to get things going in the NBA. Although he stands at 6'3", he consistently weighed less than 170 pounds, which made him tremendously under-sized. But at Maryland, he was able to overcome that adversity and become one of the best players in the school's history.

As a senior in 2002, Dixon led the Terrapins to a great regular season and an eventual No. 1 seed in the tournament. The Terps seemingly blew through the first two rounds, facing No. 16 Siena and No. 8 Wisconsin—against the Badgers, Dixon scored 29 points, successfully passing Len Bias as the school's all-time leading scorer. With the victory, the Terps would then face No. 4 seed Kentucky in the Sweet Sixteen and won the game, 78-68.

They would go on to beat Connecticut in the Elite Eight and then, in a high-scoring game, defeated the Kansas Jayhawks, 97-88, to advance to the championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers.

The Terrapins practically led the entire game and would eventually go on a 22-8 run at a later point in the game to give the school and head coach Gary Williams their first national championship.

Dixon scored 18 points, successfully earning the tournament's Most Outstanding Player Award. It wasn't his first accolade of the season, as Dixon also collected the ACC Athlete of the Year, ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year, the Chip Hilton Award and was a consensus first-team All-American.

His play during his senior season gained him high praise from teams, even though he was considered under-sized. The Wizards eventually selected him with the 17th overall selection, ahead of players such as Tayshaun Prince, John Salmons, Carlos Boozer and Luis Scola.

Dixon spent the first three years of his career with Washington, receiving limited minutes. During that span, he never averaged more than 21 minutes per game or 9.4 points per contest. At the end of the 2004-05 season, the Wizards decided not to retain Dixon, making him a free agent.

He'd ultimately sign with Portland, along with former Maryland teammate Steve Blake.

Dixon would go on to have his finest season, as he started 42 games while averaging 12.3 points per game. However, at the following season's trade deadline, Dixon was dealt to Toronto in exchange for Fred Jones. He'd play 26 games for the Raptors to end the season, averaging 11.1 points per game.

His minutes were reduced significantly the next season and Dixon would be traded from the Raptors to Detroit in exchange for Primoz Brezec. At the end of the season, he would not be retained. This led to Dixon signing a deal with Washington, successfully giving him a second stint in D.C.

However, Dixon played in just 50 games that season, playing about 16 minutes per game. That led to him averaging 5.2 points per game, one of his lowest outputs of his career. The Wizards would not hang on to him once the season concluded, making him a free agent.

Dixon failed to sign on to another club and we have not heard from him since. It's unfortunate that Dixon was never really given a great opportunity to start and show what he could do—in seven seasons in the NBA, the guard started just 77 games, averaging a shade under 20 minutes per contest.

There's no doubt that Dixon would have never become an All-Star caliber player, nor a player that would start on a night-to-night basis. But I believe that if he were properly used as a sixth man, he could have flourished in the correct system.

Dixon was a great player in college, which doesn't necessarily mean he'd be a quality NBA player, so it looked like he could have a serviceable professional career. But he just couldn't get things going and was out of the NBA in just seven short seasons.

Alando Tucker, Small Forward (2007)

Alando Tucker was another one of those players that had a highly-decorated collegiate career, but just couldn't get things going in the NBA.

Playing collegiately at Wisconsin, Tucker started 27 games as a freshman and averaged 12 points and 5.9 rebounds that season. Prior to the 2003-04 season, Tucker suffered a foot injury, which caused him to miss the majority of the season. Tucker played in just four games that year and applied for a medical redshirt. His wish was granted and the sophomore returned for the 2004-05 campaign.

During that season, Tucker led the Badgers with 15.2 points per game and also brought down 6.1 rebounds in the process. He'd do even better the following season, as the forward averaged 19 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. But his best season would be his last.

His senior season with Wisconsin, Tucker was amazing with the basketball. After accumulating averages of 19.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, he was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and was also an NCAA First-Team All-American. On Feb. 10, 2007, Tucker became the second Badger ever to register 2,000 career points, joining former Mavericks star Michael Finley.

Tucker's great collegiate career practically guaranteed him a first-round selection in the NBA draft. On draft day, Tucker was taken with the 29th overall selection by the Phoenix Suns, coincidentally the same team that drafted Finley, perhaps the best basketball player in the school's history.

However, Tucker was immediately thrown into a situation where he would receive little playing time. Grant Hill, Shawn Marion (before he was traded), Leandro Barbosa, Raja Bell and even Gordan Giricek (for the 22 games he was there) ranked ahead of him on the depth chart.

Tucker played just six games for the Suns during his rookie season, a grant total of 48 minutes.

But Tucker showed flashes of brilliance while in the NBA Developmental League. He had three stints with the Suns' NBDL affiliate, the Albuquerque Thunderbirds. During his first stint with the team, Tucker played great as he poured in 40 points in a win against Bakersfield. He was recalled on Dec. 18, but was sent back down on Jan. 11 and was recalled once again just ten days later.

However, during that ten-day span, Tucker was on fire as he scored 33 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in his first game. Over the next three games, Tucker scored 39, 26 and 29 points, respectively.

His third stint, which lasted 21 games, Tucker averaged 27.7 points and 6 rebounds. This included a season-high 42 points against Los Angeles and a 38-point effort against Tulsa. He was a great player in the NBDL and it was thought that he would receive a larger role in the Suns' offensive plan the following season. However, it wasn't the case, as he participated in just thirty games, playing in a little over nine minutes per game. This led to averages of just 4.6 points and one rebound per contest.

After appearing in eleven games for Phoenix during the 2009-10 season, Tucker was dealt to Minnesota, along with a future second-round pick, for guard Jason Hart. The forward would appear in just four games for the 'Wolves and was subsequently waived on March 22, 2010.

We have not heard from Tucker since he was released by Minnesota. After his release, Tucker went overseas and has since played for Gallitos de Isabela, Lokomotiv Kuban (Russia) and CB Gran Canaria (Spain). Tucker returned to the United States and signed on with the Texas Legends, the Dallas Mavericks' NBDL affiliate, for the 2011-12 season—the team also consists of veterans Antonio Daniels and Dan Gadzuric and former Michigan State star Drew Neitzel.

Even though it was the NBDL, Tucker showed that he could be a great player. He commonly went out on the court every night and put up great numbers, constantly surpassing the 30-point mark. Tucker was a great player in the NBDL and the Suns should have utilized him more on their roster, even though there were not many minutes to throw around.

But I believe that if he were given a solid opportunity to play about 20 minutes per game, he could have done some damage for the Suns. I also believe that if he were given a shot, he could have eventually made his way into the starting lineup. He was that good of a prospect.

I'd like to see him on the court once again with a legitimate shot to show that he was worth a first-round selection. Although he is 28 years old, he's still in the prime of his career. He was a great collegiate player and one of the best scorers in the NBDL of recent memory, so it seemed certain that Tucker would latch on somewhere.

But he's not even on a NBA team, which befuddles me. Tucker should definitely be on a roster at this point, as he's better than a lot of players who are currently on a team (Brian Scalabrine, anybody?)

I'd really like to see Tucker don an NBA uniform once again.

Julius Hodge, Shooting Guard (2005)

Julius Hodge was just one of those players that really wasn't given a shot to see what he could do.

Hodge started off his basketball career, playing collegiately at North Carolina State. Unlike most players, Hodge stayed at school for all four years and was a quality player during that span.

During his freshman season, the guard averaged 10.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. He'd only get better from there, as he'd go on to average 17.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game during his sophomore campaign.

The following season, he had the best year of his collegiate career, averaging 18.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. His stats would dip slightly during his senior season, but it seemed as though he was a good enough prospect to warrant a first-round selection.

Some people had Hodge going in the lottery, while others had him going towards the very end of the first-round.

He'd practically be in the middle, as the Denver Nuggets selected him with the 20th overall selection. Unfortunately, he was put in a bad situation, as players like Greg Buckner, Voshon Lenard, Andre Miller, Earl Boykins and Earl Watson were immediately ahead of him on the depth chart.

During his rookie season, Hodge participated in just 14 games, totaling 33 minutes. Those numbers translated to averages of 0.9 points, 0.5 rebounds and 0.4 assists.

The following season, Hodge played in just four games for the Nuggets before being dealt, along with Boykins, to Milwaukee for Steve Blake. He'd participate in five games and play 28 minutes for the Bucks for the rest of the season.

On Feb. 7, 2007, Hodge was waived by the Bucks and we haven't heard from him since. He has not been picked up by an NBA team and has gone overseas, playing in Italy, Australia, Iran and Vietnam. Currently, the guard is playing for Caciques de Humacao in Puerto Rico.

After lasting just two years in the NBA, Hodge played in just 23 games, while playing a grand total of 98 minutes. Unfortunately, Hodge definitely falls into the "busts" category.

It's a disgrace that he couldn't get things rolling because he was a great athlete. Playing shooting guard, Hodge stands at 6'7", which towers over most players in the same position. He was undoubtedly one of the best rebounding shooting guards in college and it seemed as though his game would transcend well into the NBA.

But it wasn't the case and it is very unlikely that we will ever see him in an NBA uniform again.

Personally, I'd like to see Hodge get an actual shot to play. I don't believe he even received a chance to show his skills when he first got to the Nuggets. Hodge was a decent shooter and a great rebounder. He could have done fairly well if he were given the opportunity. His situation was much like that of David Harrison, who I mentioned in an earlier slide, mainly because the system just wasn't right.

It's an ignominy that we won't be able to see a player like Hodge get a shot in the NBA. But that's the way the NBA works sometimes and Hodge just happened to be on the wrong end.

Wayne Simien, Power Forward (2005)

Wayne Simien was one of those players that had good talent and was a great collegiate player. But once a player like him entered the NBA, there was a solid possibility that he would tank.

Whether because of the team's system, constant injuries, the coach not playing younger players, or simply because he was just not a very good player, he tanked.

I couldn't tell you what happened to derail Simien's career, but he just wasn't able to make his way into the Heat's main rotation.

While attending Kansas, Simien was undoubtedly one of the best players in the nation, especially during his junior and senior campaigns. He was a Wooden Award finalist both of those years and during his senior year, Simien was selected as the Big 12 Player of the Year with hearty averages of 20.3 points and 11 rebounds per game.

While with the Jayhawks, Simien helped lead the team to three Big 12 championships and four NCAA Tournament berths. Those berths led to two Final Four appearances (one national runner-up) and a visit to the Elite 8. However, Simien's collegiate career ended prematurely when his heavily-favored Jayhawks lost to a No. 14-seeded Bucknell team when he was a senior.

Simien finished his collegiate career as the school's 12th all-time scorer and his No. 23 jersey was retired on Jan. 29, 2011.

Even though he had a great career at Kansas, many didn't believe that he'd ever become a great NBA player and he did not warrant an early selection in the draft.

He would eventually be taken with the 29th overall pick by the Miami Heat.

Simien was immediately thrown into a bad situation, as the team already had Shaquille O'Neal, Alonzo Mourning, Udonis Haslem, Michael Doleac and even Earl Barron ahead of him on the depth chart. During his rookie season, Simien competed in 43 games, but only at about ten minutes per night. Additionally, he averaged 3.4 points and 2 rebounds per contest.

And as we all know, luckily for Simien, the Heat would go on to stun the sports world and defeat the Dallas Mavericks in the Finals, giving the franchise their first championship.

Thought to play a bigger role in his sophomore campaign, Simien missed the Summer League because of a salmonella infection. That infection caused him to miss a good chunk of time, as he participated in just eight games during his second year.

Prior to the start of the 2007-08 season, the Heat traded Simien, along with Antoine Walker, Doleac and a 2009 first-round selection to Minnesota for Mark Blount and Ricky Davis. However, Simien was waived by the team just five days later.

Simien's name has not appeared on an NBA roster since and as we know now, Simien announced on May 5, 2009, that he would retire from basketball and try to find a career in Christian ministry (can you imagine seeing a 6'9" pastor?)

I'll be the first to tell you that I was not a fan of Simien when he was at Kansas. But it still would have been nice to see him get a legitimate shot at playing time, if he had managed to stay healthy.

Although he's considered small for a power forward, I believe he could have come in and become a solid quality role player. He likely would have never been a sixth- or seventh-man, but I could see him being part of the main back-up rotation.

Unfortunately, we will never know what could have been for Simien. He could have become a great player if given a decent amount of playing time and if he were able to stay healthy. It's quite a shame, but at least Simien is doing good things with his life outside of basketball.

Ronald "Flip" Murray, Guard (2002)

Yes, Ronald Murray, affectionately known as Flip, was an average player. There's no doubt about that. But the sole reason he is on this list is because of his breakout 2003-04 season where he pulled a Jeremy Lin and came out of nowhere, mainly because of the injury to Ray Allen.

Murray was taken with the No. 42 selection in the 2002 draft by Milwaukee after having a stellar career at the Division II school, Shaw. During his senior season at the small college, Murray led his team all the way to the Division II Final Four and was also named the NCAA Division II's Player of the Year.

So he showed signs of promise, but no one believed he'd become a great player, much less actively see the court. And it held true, as he rarely saw the court during his first year in the NBA. After playing just twelve games for the Bucks, Murray was shipped to Seattle as part of the Ray Allen-Gary Payton deal.

For the 2003-04 season, Murray was immediately listed as the back-up to the aforementioned Allen. The sharpshooter missed the first 26 games of the season, so Murray was thrown in there to take over for him. And he got off to a tremendous start.

Over the first eleven games, all of which were starts, Murray poured in 24, 22, 24, 24, 29, 20, 16, 26, 31, 26 and 21 points, respectively. This led to instant fan-favoritism from the Seattle fans, as Murray had helped sparked the franchise.

But once Allen came back, Murray was done and was forced to become the back-up again. He definitely cooled down over the course of the season, eventually playing in all 82 games, 18 of which were starts. During the season, Murray averaged 12.4 points per game.

He'd only play another 1.5 seasons in Seattle before being traded to the Cavaliers on March 23, 2006, in exchange for guard Mike Wilks. For the rest of the season in Cleveland, Murray started 25 games and averaged 13.5 points per game along the way.

However, he was not retained at the end of the season and would go on to sign with the Pistons. He'd then bounce around to Indiana, Atlanta, Charlotte and Chicago over the next couple of seasons and we have not seen him on an actual NBA roster since the end of the 2009-10 season.

After such a hot start in 2003-04, it would have been nice to see Murray receive a bigger role once Ray Allen returned to the court. But at that point in time, Allen was such a great player that he'd take up a good bulk of the minutes.

But during that season, Murray showed us fans that he was a good player and that he could be a decent starter in the NBA—remember, at this point in time, Ira Newble was a daily starter, so Murray could have definitely been in the starting rotation on a number of teams.

If not a starter, Murray showed that he was a solid sixth man. But somehow, he's not on an NBA team, which somewhat astounds me. I firmly believe he could still score with the best of them, if he were signed to an NBA team today. But it looks as though we've seen the last of Murray, which is a sad thing to think about.

Personally, I'd like to see Murray don an NBA uniform one more time and get some quality minutes in the process. However, he's 32 years old, but if Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett have showed us anything, it's that players can still compete well at an older age.

And We Wouldn't Mind Seeing...

There's a few other players that I wouldn't mind seeing return to the court, but I really just didn't feel like making more slides for these athletes.

- Fred Jones, Shooting Guard (2002)

Jones is strictly on this list because of his extraordinary leaping and dunking abilities. He won the Slam Dunk Contest in 2004, successfully beating out Golden State's Jason Richardson, but has not competed in the event since.

Although he was a decent basketball player, there was no way he'd ever become a full-time starter or a sixth man. But he was a solid spark off the bench. His best season came during the 2004-05 campaign, as he averaged 10.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest—it was the only season that he averaged more than 10 per game.

Jones spent four seasons with the Pacers before signing a deal with the Raptors prior to the 2006-07 season. However, he was dealt to Portland at the trade deadline, in exchange for Juan Dixon. A little over four months later, he was traded once again, this time to the New York Knicks as part of the Zach Randolph-for-Steve Francis deal.

He'd sign with the Clippers for the 2008-09 season and was a solid contributor. But they would not retain him once the season ended and we have not heard from the high-flyer since. I'd like to see the explosive dunker back in the NBA.

- Marcus Haislip, Power Forward (2002)

After a stellar collegiate career at Tennessee, Haislip was taken with the 13th overall selection by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2002 draft.

Haislip showed glimpses of hope while in Milwaukee, even though he was a bench player. The Bucks rarely utilized him and after two seasons of primarily riding the bench, the Bucks terminated his contract, thus making Haislip a free agent.

The Pacers signed him to a deal during the 2004-05 season, mainly because of the suspension to Jermaine O'Neal for the incident in Detroit. He played just nine games for the Pacers before being waived on Christmas Eve.

After failing to latch on with anyone else, Haislip went overseas and has played in a few different countries, starting in Turkey. The Spurs apparently liked what they saw in Haislip overseas and signed him to a deal during the 2009-10 season, but was released after appearing in just ten games.

He went back overseas, signing with Panathinaikos B.C. in Greece and then Caja Laboral in Spain. After being released by the team, he signed with the Guangdong Southern Tigers in China and now currently plays for the Foshan Dralions, also in China. A once highly-touted prospect, it'd be nice to see Haislip come back and show that he could have become a great player in the NBA.

- Ndudi Ebi, Forward (2003)

If you ask me, the 'Wolves did nothing but hurt Ebi's career. They messed up his promising career, which comes as a very big disappointment. Ebi was a very talented player that could have become a great player in the NBA, but the entire situation was just bad from the get-go.

Ebi was the first first-round pick in three years for Minnesota, as the team was docked first-round selections for illegally making a deal for Joe Smith. The front office asked the NBA for an exception because they were immediately going to send him to the NBDL.

He was ruled ineligible for the 2005-06 NBDL season because the rules stated that they would only accept players who had been in the NBA for less than two years. Minnesota argued that it really didn't matter because Ebi had played sparingly and he really wasn't a two-year veteran.

The front office also did all of this without even letting Ebi know that they were intending on sending him down to the NBDL. The NBA rejected the team's request and after signing Ronald Dupree, the team waived Ebi, as there was no space for him on the team's roster.

He signed a contract with the Mavericks in 2006, but after five lackluster preseason games, Ebi was released. He has not been back to the NBA and has played overseas since his release by the Mavericks.

Playing for Basket Rimini Crabs in Italy over the 2009-10 season, Ebi averaged 15.3 points, 13.6 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game. Needless to say, he showed promise and that he was a good basketball player.

The last we heard of Ebi, he was playing for Anibal Zahle in Lebanon. It'd be a nice sight to see Ebi come back to the states and latch on with an NBA team. Moreover, it'd be extremely nice to see him get a legitimate shot to show what he can do with the basketball instead of constantly being sent down to the NBDL.

- Robert Swift, Power Forward/Center (2004)

Honestly, who wouldn't mind seeing that big seven-foot, red-headed, tattoo-covered man run the court a couple of times? I wouldn't mind, especially because it looked like Swift had no idea what was going on when he was on the court. Frankly, I'd think it'd be funny to see Swift don an NBA uniform again.

Swift played for the Seattle Sonics/Oklahoma City Thunder for four seasons after being taken with the 12th overall selection in the 2004 draft. He immediately came into a situation where he wouldn't see a lot of playing time for his first couple of years. His best season came in his second year, as he averaged 6.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

For his career, Swift has averages of 15.5 minutes played, 50.6-percent shooting percentage, 4.3 points and 3.9 rebounds while playing in 97 games, starting 34 of them.

- Morris Almond, Shooting Guard (2007)

Almond, who played collegiately at Rice University, played sparingly his first two seasons. But during his junior and senior campaigns, Almond accumulated averages of 21.9 and 26.4 points, respectively. His points average during his senior season ranked third in the nation and he was also named Conference USA's Player of the Year.

His senior season led to an immediate rise in his draft stock, as he was taken with the 25th overall pick in the 2007 draft.

During his rookie season, Almond participated in just nine games and a total of 39 minutes. He spent most of the season with the Utah Flash, their NBDL affiliate. In just his fifth game with the team, Almond scored 51 points, which tied an NBDL record. Later in the year, Almond bettered those numbers, as he poured in 53 points against Bakersfield. 

For the season, Almond led the NBDL in scoring, averaging 25.6 points per game.

The following season, he was expected to receive a bigger role with the Jazz, but he played in just 25 games with an average of about ten minutes per contest and 3.7 points per game.

On Sept. 18, 2009, Almond signed with the Orlando Magic, but was released a little over a month after the signing. He would later play for the Maine Red Claws and the Springfield Armor of the NBDL before departing overseas.

He returned to the United States in January, as he signed on with the Maine Red Claws for a second time. Since coming back, Almond has played in 22 contests while averaging 23.4 points and 6 rebounds per game. Of players who have played at least twenty games, Almond ranks third in points per game average, just behind Reno teammates Blake Ahearn and Andre Emmett.

As shown, Almond is an electric scorer and it'd be nice to see him come back to the NBA and show what he can do. After all, Gerald Green was able to do it.

Other Players We'd Like to See: F Nikoloz Tskitishvili (5th, Denver - 2002), SG Jiri Welsch (16th, Golden State - 2002), SF Jarvis Hayes (10th, Washington - 2003), C Rafael Araujo (8th, Toronto - 2004), SG/SF Luke Jackson (10th, Cleveland - 2004), SG/SF Kelenna Azubuike (Undrafted, 2005), C Patrick O'Bryant (9th, Golden State - 2006), SF Rodney Carney (16th, Philadelphia - 2006), PG/SG Quincy Douby (19th, Sacramento - 2006), F Jorge Garbajosa (Undrafted, 2006), SF Julian Wright (13th, New Orleans - 2007), SF Al Thornton (14th, L.A. Clippers - 2007), G Javaris Crittenton (19th, L.A. Lakers - 2007; and if he weren't accused of being a murderer), PF/C Alexis Ajinca (20th, Charlotte - 2008)