NBA Draft 2012: Breaking Down Big Men with Biggest Bust Potential

Post players generally turn into busts more frequently than players who spend most of their time on the perimeter. The main reason being a shooter will always have that ability on his side whereas big men who struggle early in their careers find it difficult to gain any traction in the paint.

Let's take a look at three forwards or centers that have the most bust potential. They will be risky selections for whatever team decides to take a chance on them in the first round of the NBA draft and may never reach their full potential.

Andre Drummond

Drummond decided to leave Connecticut after just one season despite averaging only 10 points and eight rebounds. His offensive ability would best be described as extremely raw, and making major improvements at the NBA level is difficult.

That's because teams simply don't have the patience to let young players suffer through extended growing pains. If some immediate progress isn't made, they simply move on to the next player on the depth chart, stunting a young player's growth in the process.

Also troubling is Drummond's free-throw shooting. He made less than 30 percent of his attempts for the Huskies, which means he'll have to get removed from the game during crunch time or teams will take advantage of him. He has potential, but it comes with a boatload of question marks.

Tyler Zeller

Steady progress was the name of the game for Zeller at North Carolina. He wasn't blessed with amazing athleticism, but still managed to go from three PPG as a freshman to 16 as a senior. That said, it's hard to imagine him becoming more than a depth piece in the NBA.

That's not a bad thing, of course, but teams are usually looking for more bang for their buck in the first round. Zeller isn't capable of stretching the defense since his mid-range game has limitations and he doesn't have enough strength to dominate on the glass.

All told, he should provide his new team with some good bench minutes and won't cause any issues in the locker room. That sounds more like somebody to take a flier on in Round 2 rather than a potential lottery selection.

Perry Jones III

Jones decided on returning to Baylor for a second season with hopes of improving his draft status. It didn't work. He showed basically no improvement over the previous season and was wildly inconsistent during the NCAA Tournament.

Even though his athletic ability is undeniable, finding a way to make it translate to the next level won't be easy. He doesn't have the shooting ability to play on the wing and he doesn't have the strength to play in the paint without getting pushed around.

Some teams will undoubtedly fall in love with his tools and take him early, but the chances of him putting it all together to become a superstar are low. Add in the fact he plays suspect defense and lottery teams would far better off looking another direction.