2012 NBA Draft: First-Round Prospects Sure to Be Busts

Every NBA draft has its busts, and the 2012 edition will be no different. A look back on drafts of the past always reveals a handful of picks in the first round that make you ask "Who?" or simply laugh at a team's misfortune.

As we near the 2012 NBA draft there are some prospects that have been given the label of first-round pick that may never live up to the billing. Here are some "sure-fire" first-round selections that have an extremely high potential to be a bust.

Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina

Even players who are deemed "top-five" worthy are susceptible to becoming busts—Michael Beasley, Hasheem Thabeet, Wesley Johnson and Greg Oden come to mind. It's very rare that all of the first five selections pan out in any given draft.

If Barnes sneaks into the top five—which is a possibility depending on how the lottery shakes out—he could very well be this year's top-five bust. Barnes has been lauded for his scoring ability in his two years at North Carolina, averaging more than 17 points per game in his final season as a Tar Heel.

However, Barnes' stock comes into question when you consider his performance in the March Madness tourney. In a time where most players step up their games, Barnes seemed to disappear for long stretches and struggled from the field at times—shooting a meager 8-30 in his final two games of the tournament.

One reason for his struggles down the stretch could have been the injury to point guard Kendall Marshall, but that doesn't bode well for Barnes' stock. The ability to create his own shot will be pivotal to his NBA success.

Barnes won't likely slip past the No. 7 spot in the draft, but with his streaky shooting and reduced touches in the NBA, he could be a massive bust.

Jared Sullinger, PF/C, Ohio State

The transition for big men from the college game to the NBA game can be especially difficult. The transition from dominating much smaller and, oftentimes, less-skilled big men in college to taking on giants in the NBA every night can't be understated.

One big man that could struggle to make the transition is Ohio State's Jared Sullinger. Sully put up great numbers at Ohio State in his two years and even averaged a double-double in his freshman season.

When faced with some of the best competition the Buckeyes saw all year, Sullinger often came up small—shooting poorly from the field in the team's games against Michigan State and in the Final Four loss to Kansas. When paired up one-on-one with fellow lottery prospect Thomas Robinson of Kansas, it was Robinson who got the better end of the affair and whose team won.

Sully's size could be an issue too because he is a bit undersized and doesn't particularly have the elite athleticism to make up for it. Sully should be a serviceable big man in the NBA, but he may never live up to being a top-10 selection.

Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois

Another Big 10 big man, Leonard is a seven-footer that many expect to go in the early 20s on draft night. The Fighting Illini center didn't put up great numbers at Illinois, but he was the lone bright spot on an otherwise middling Illinois team that went 17-15 with a 6-12 record in Big 10 play.

Leonard has scouts excited because he's athletic for a big man and displays some polish in the post, but he has a long way to go before he's really ready to make an impact.

At 7'1", 240 pounds Leonard is going to get pushed around by NBA bodies. As athletic as he may be, his physicality simply isn't up to par with what will be required to find success in the NBA. Physical teams such as Ohio State, Michigan State and Indiana were able to keep him off the boards, as his rebound totals were significantly lower against those teams.

Leonard didn't start his freshman season, so he really only has one year of experience in college, which gives him a dangerous combination of upside and inexperience that often spells bust. Because he is a true center—which is a rare find these days—he is all but guaranteed to be drafted too high and will most likely be a bust.