The NBA Draft's Top Booms and Busts at Every Spot over the Last 10 Years

Every NBA draft is filled with untapped potential, but not every player reaches his ceiling. While some players pan out to be all-time legends, others drafted in the exact same spot in different years fall short of their high expectations.

Some players are seen as busts just based on the other players who were drafted in that spot. For example, not many truly horrible players have been drafted fourth over the last 10 years, so the term "bust" is relative to players picked in other drafts.

Older players with more established track records were easier to evaluate than unproven young guys, and were ranked as such. For example, Joel Embiid and Julius Randle missed the entire 2014-15 season with injuries, but they could come back and wreak havoc on the league next year a la Blake Griffin.

No. 1 Boom: Anthony Davis (2012)

Bob Levey/Associated Press/Associated Press

Davis elevated his game to new heights in the 2014-15 season, and is still just 22 years old.

Most players worthy of the top spot in their drafts have delivered on their promise so far. But none has carried his team quite like Davis, who entered the MVP discussion in his third season in the league.

Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose's teams have survived without them, and Kyrie Irving's Cleveland Cavaliers never made the playoffs until LeBron James came aboard. The New Orleans Pelicans would be nothing without Davis, though, and would be lucky to win 35 games with a nucleus built around Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans and Omer Asik.

With The Brow's 24.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.9 blocks and 1.5 steals per game, not to mention his dominant defensive presence near the basket, the Pelicans snuck into the playoffs this year before being swept by the Golden State Warriors.

Honorable Mention: Derrick Rose (2008), Blake Griffin (2009), Kyrie Irving (2011)

No. 1 Bust: Greg Oden (2007)

Rick Bowmer/Associated Press

Oden's knees failed him and doomed his NBA career.

Greg Oden's career is more sad than anything, really.

While playing for Ohio State, Oden was a mammoth rim protector with a solid offensive game. He had a solid rookie season and was averaging 11.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 23.9 minutes per game through the first 21 games of 2009-10. Worst-case scenario, he could have been Roy Hibbert 2.0.

But when the injury bug bit, it bit hard. Oden missed his first season following microfracture surgery on his right knee, then he had season-ending surgeries on his left knee in 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2012-13, with another operation on the right mixed in there in 2011-12.

When Oden suited up for the Miami Heat on January 14, 2014, it was the first time he had played in an NBA game in over four years. His destiny is to forever be regarded as this generation's even worse version of Sam Bowie.

Honorable Mention: Andrea Bargnani (2005), Anthony Bennett (2013)

No. 2 Boom: Kevin Durant (2007)

Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Durant missed most of last season with injuries, and the Thunder fell apart without him.

As Greg Oden is to Sam Bowie, Kevin Durant is to Michael Jordan. The "Slim Reaper" quickly developed into one of the NBA's premier scoring threats, averaging 27.9 points per game on 48.1 percent shooting throughout his eight-year career.

Durant has matured as a player over time and more or less gotten rid of the long two-pointers he shot early in his career. The small forward won his first MVP trophy last year by putting up terrific numbers (32.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 5.5 APG), and he has added 15 pounds of muscle to become a better defender and interior threat.

In 2012-13, Durant joined Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Mark Price, Reggie Miller and Larry Bird as the only NBA players to shoot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from behind the three-point arc and 90 percent from the free-throw line in the same season.

Honorable Mention: LaMarcus Aldridge (2006), Evan Turner (2010)

No. 2 Bust: Hasheem Thabeet (2009)

Laura Rauch/Associated Press

Hasheem Thabeet couldn't keep up with quicker, stronger players like Blake Griffin (right).

Every so often, a giant player will dominate in college against smaller opponents only to fizzle out in the NBA when everyone else is about his size. Hasheem Thabeet became the poster boy for this breed of player after being taken second overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in 2009.

Listed at 7'3", 263 pounds by ESPN, Thabeet bulldozed smaller centers with UConn, averaging 13.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game in his junior year. Those numbers dropped to career averages of 2.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game in the NBA, and Thabeet has bounced around to six different organizations in his eight-year career.

Thabeet is perhaps best known as the highest-drafted player ever to be demoted to the D-League, where he currently plays for the Grand Rapids Drive as an affiliate player of the Detroit Pistons. He was first sent down in February of his rookie season and has moved up and down between the NBA and the D-League throughout his career.

Honorable Mention: Marvin Williams (2005), Michael Beasley (2008), Derrick Williams (2011)

No. 3 Boom: James Harden (2009)

Harden started off his career as one of the top sixth men in the game, backing up Thabo Sefolosha and serving as the Oklahoma City Thunder's No. 3 offensive option behind Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

It took being traded to the Houston Rockets in 2012 for Harden to come into his own as a great scorer, but he has never finished with less than 25.4 points per game in three seasons since.

After receiving criticism for his lax defensive play last year, Harden became more physical this year, which the Rockets especially needed after Patrick Beverley was sidelined with a wrist injury. With season averages of 27.4 points, 7.0 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game, Harden proved himself to be an exceptional all-around player.

Honorable Mention: Deron Williams (2005), Al Horford (2007), Bradley Beal (2012)

No. 3 Bust: Adam Morrison (2007)

Noah Graham/Getty Images

Both James Harden (left) and Adam Morrison were the third overall pick in their respective drafts, but their careers have gone in opposite directions.

Adam Morrison was an outstanding college basketball player for Gonzaga, but he couldn't catch a break in the pros. He had a semi-promising rookie year, tore his ACL just before the beginning of his second season and then was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers after he recovered.

The Lakers were stacked in the frontcourt—all over their roster, really—and Morrison struggled to find playing time. When he got on the court, the same shooting woes that plagued him as a rookie continued.

Despite shooting 50.3 percent over three years at Gonzaga, including 42.8 percent from behind the arc in his final season, Morrison sputtered to a 37.3 percent career mark over three professional seasons. At 6'8" and 205 pounds, Morrison was too small to play in the post, and floundered without a reliable jump shot.

Honorable Mention: Otto Porter (2013)

No. 4 Boom: Chris Paul (2005)

There was a legitimate debate for a while whether Chris Paul was better than Deron Williams, who was taken immediately before him by the Utah Jazz. But while Williams' game has slipped since joining the Brooklyn Nets, Paul has elevated himself as the league's clear-cut No. 1 point guard.

Basic statistics like his career averages of 18.7 points and 9.9 assists per game on 47.4 percent shooting are nice, sure. Paul's greatest impact, though, comes through his ability to better teammates by acting as the floor general and ball distributor.

Paul's greatness is perhaps best identified by former NBA commissioner David Stern's blocking of Paul's trade to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011. Even though the Lakers were giving up perennial all-star Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, who had averaged 14.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game on 53 percent shooting the season before, Stern thought Paul would have made Los Angeles a nearly unbeatable juggernaut.

Honorable Mention: Mike Conley (2007), Russell Westbrook (2008), Tyreke Evans (2009)

No. 4 Bust: Wesley Johnson (2010)

Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 19: Wesley Johnson #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives against the Utah Jazz on March 19, 2015 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using th

Wesley Johnson isn't a bust on the same level as many of the other lottery picks who flamed out over the last 10 years. He's started most NBA games he's played in and is in no danger of being run out of the league any time soon.

But while he has played in many professional games, he hasn't played well in them. Johnson is a swingman who can't shoot, averaging 40.9 percent from the field, and is a below-average defender.

Johnson had a Defensive Real Plus-Minus of -0.58 last year, a mark worse than lackluster defenders like J.R. Smith and Jason Richardson, per ESPN. With little to offer on offense or defense, only bad teams would offer Johnson serious minutes.

Honorable Mention: Tyrus Thomas (2006), Dion Waiters (2012)

No. 5 Boom: DeMarcus Cousins (2010)

Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press

Cousins' game combines power and finesse.

Everyone knew what DeMarcus Cousins' deal was coming into the draft: a talented player with extreme immaturity issues. He could have easily ended up as Michael Beasley 2.0, but instead he has a legitimate case as the best center in the NBA. 

Cousins has matured since coming into the league five years ago despite the Kings' continuous front-office circus. He had occasionally lagged on defense in the past, with little motivation to play through another 20-win season, but he stepped up as Sacramento's rim protector this year.

Big Cuz's 24.1 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.5 steals per game in 2014-15 were all career highs. He also shot 78.2 percent on free throws, meaning opponents can't hack him recklessly like they do with centers like Dwight Howard, DeAndre Jordan and Andre Drummond.

Honorable Mention: Kevin Love (2008), Ricky Rubio (2009), Jonas Valanciunas (2011)

No. 5 Bust: Thomas Robinson (2012)

Danny Johnston/Associated Press

Robinson is already an NBA journeyman at the age of 24.

For every move the Kings get right, there's at least one they get wrong.

Thomas Robinson was dealt to the Houston Rockets after 51 games in a Kings uniform, a surprisingly quick abandonment for a perpetually rebuilding team. He lasted just 19 games with Houston before being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Portland traded Robinson to the Denver Nuggets at the 2014-15 trade deadline, but he was waived before ever suiting up for Denver. The Philadelphia 76ers signed Robinson with nothing to lose, and he was surprisingly effective for the cellar-dwellers, averaging 8.8 points and 7.7 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game over 22 contests.

It may not be too late for Robinson to find a role in a decent team's rotation. But for now he's one of the biggest disappointments from the 2012 draft.

Honorable Mention: Shelden Williams (2006), Dante Exum (2014)

No. 6 Boom: Damian Lillard (2012)

Tony Dejak/Associated Press

Lillard has never missed a single game throughout three pro seasons.

Damian Lillard's stock rose dramatically coming into the 2012 draft, but some questions still remained. After all, he attended college at Weber State, not some high-powered, esteemed program like Kentucky or North Carolina.

Throughout three NBA seasons, Lillard has laid all doubts to rest—and then some. The Portland Trail Blazers guard averaged 19.0 points per game in his rookie season, a number that has only continued to grow as he has developed as a player.

Even when Lillard has off nights, he finds a way to contribute to the Blazers' overall success. He shot just 1-13 from the field against the Los Angeles Clippers on March 4, but corralled 18 rebounds and helped Portland come out on top.

Honorable Mention: Brandon Roy (2006), Danilo Gallinari (2008), Nerlens Noel (2013)

No. 6 Bust: Jonny Flynn (2009)

Steve Yeater/Associated Press/Associated Press

Flynn starred at Syracuse and had a successful rookie campaign, but landed in the NBA's doghouse and never got out.

Jonny Flynn's career started out well enough: 13.5 points and 4.4 assists in 28.9 minutes per game while starting 81 contests for the Minnesota Timberwolves. And that's when everything went downhill.

To hear Grantland's Jonathan Abrams tell it, Flynn came back too soon after an uncommon hip surgery in which doctors had few past cases to reference for an appropriate recovery time frame.

Flynn's reputation as a player who clashed with coaches didn't help his case, Abrams said. In any event, Flynn was gone from the league after just three seasons, a talented enigma who never quite stuck around for good.

Honorable Mention: Martell Webster (2006), Yi Jianlian (2007), Ekpe Udoh (2010)

No. 7 Boom: Stephen Curry (2009)

Stephen Curry's slick handles and pinpoint passing make him a dangerous point guard, especially on a run-and-gun team like the Golden State Warriors. His shooting touch, however, is what earned the Davidson alumnus the 2014-15 MVP trophy.

According to Devin Dignam of The Wages of Wins Journal, no other player in NBA history has jacked up as many threes as Curry at such a high conversion rate. When Curry set the season record for most three-pointers made in 2012-13, he finished third in the league in three-point percentage, showing an unparalleled combination of efficiency and volume.

Curry bested his own mark in 2014-15, draining 286 treys on 44.3 percent shooting from behind the arc. He earned the league's MVP award with 23.8 points, 7.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game, and finally seemed to shake the ankle woes that troubled him early in his career.

Honorable Mention: Eric Gordon (2008), Greg Monroe (2010)

No. 7 Bust: Bismack Biyombo (2011)

Alex Gallardo/Associated Press/Associated Press

Biyombo is a solid defender and rebounder, but an offensive liability.

It's a little difficult to call Bismack Biyombo a bust, considering he's been exactly what he was billed as: a hardworking, tough defender with zero offensive game to speak of. There were certainly better options left on the board when he was picked, though, including Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler.

Biyombo was drafted by the Sacramento Kings but immediately traded to the Charlotte Bobcats, and he has been with that organization ever since. The undersized (6'9") center has managed 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in every NBA season despite limited playing time.

On offense, it's a different story. Biyombo averaged 3.7 points per game over the last two seasons and, more worrying, has only 24 assists during that time. His lack of shooting touch or passing ability allows defenders to double-team slashing guards like Kemba Walker, congesting Charlotte's offense.

Honorable Mention: Randy Foye (2006), Corey Brewer (2007)

No. 8 Boom: Rudy Gay (2006)

Rocky Widner/Getty Images

SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 20: Rudy Gay #8 of the Sacramento Kings shoots against the Charlotte Hornets on March 20, 2015 at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using th

Rudy Gay has proven he can't be "The Man" on a winning team. He chucked up too many bad shots at the end of his time with the Memphis Grizzlies, shooting 40.8 percent in his final half-season before being traded to the Toronto Raptors, where his struggles continued.

Since coming to the Sacramento Kings, though, Gay has shown better shot selection and has been able to score without being counted on as the team's main offensive force. He finished 12th in the NBA last season with 21.1 points per game, a career high.

His 7'3" wingspan is beneficial on both offense and defense, as it allows him to scoop layups in or stay in front of opposing small forwards. Gay has averaged at least one steal per game every year since his second NBA season.

Honorable Mention: Channing Frye (2005), Brandon Knight (2011), Terrence Ross (2012)

No. 8 Bust: Joe Alexander (2008)

Fernando Medina/Getty Images

Alexander lasted just two unmemorable seasons in the NBA.

There were a number of skilled players left on the board when the Milwaukee Bucks drafted Joe Alexander in 2008. Brook and Robin Lopez and Roy Hibbert went in the next couple of picks, not to mention diamonds in the rough like Serge Ibaka, Nicolas Batum, DeAndre Jordan and Goran Dragic.

Instead, new Bucks general manager John Hammond selected Alexander, an All-American Honorable Mention at West Virginia who had just started playing organized basketball five years before, according to Draft Express. Though Alexander's athleticism was indisputable, he struggled against technically refined players.

Alexander's career spanned just 67 games, the last eight of which were spent with the Chicago Bulls after the Bucks dumped him. His rookie stats were actually decent when averaged over 36 minutes (14.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game), but as he said in a Basketball Insiders piece, something just didn't click between him and the organization.

Honorable Mention: Brandan Wright (2007), Al-Farouq Aminu (2010), Nik Stauskas (2014)

No. 9 Boom: Andre Drummond (2012)

Andre Drummond has established himself as one of the NBA's top-tier rebounders, not to mention a highly efficient scorer near the basket, in just three professional seasons.

He took 830 of his 952 field goal attempts last year from right next to the basket, according to Vorped, and shot 54.2 percent on those tries. That actually marks a step down from Drummond's previous two seasons, when he shot a combined 61.8 percent from the field.

Drummond averaged over 13 rebounds per game for the second consecutive season and grabbed a league-leading 5.3 points per game. He also finished ninth in the NBA with 1.9 blocks per game.

The only glaring weakness in Drummond's game is his god-awful free-throw shooting. The center shot an abysmal 38.9 percent from the charity stripe in 2014-15 and could have contributed much more to the Pistons if he had shot even 60 percent.

Honorable Mention: Joakim Noah (2007), DeMar DeRozan (2009), Gordon Hayward (2010)

No. 9 Bust: Patrick O'Bryant (2006)

Ron Turenne/Getty Images

O'Bryant (left) last played in the NBA as a member of the Toronto Raptors in 2009-10.

There are many men walking throughout Boston named Patrick O'Bryant. And nearly all of them must have better work ethics than the man who played center for the Boston Celtics in 2008-09. 

When former lottery picks make statements like, "I tend not to work very hard," as O'Bryant did to the Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell, it's normally not a sign of success. O'Bryant fired off that quip in the midst of an unsuccessful bid to join the Charlotte Bobcats in 2013 after stints in China, Greece, Puerto Rico, Lithuania and the D-League.

O'Bryant finished with a grand total of 186 points in 90 games over four seasons. Not too hot for a player drafted before Rajon Rondo, Kyle Lowry and Paul Millsap.

Honorable Mention: Ike Diogu (2005), Noah Vonleh (2014)

No. 10 Boom: Paul George (2010)

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

George (right) could lock up any wing, even LeBron James, before breaking his leg last summer.

Before Paul George broke his leg in a scrimmage with Team USA, the small forward was considered one of the top 10 players in the NBA. He matched up evenly with LeBron James and was the main reason the Indiana Pacers could threaten the Miami Heat for the Eastern Conference crown.

George was the best perimeter defender in the game in 2013-14, finishing second behind center Joakim Noah with 6.4 Defensive Win Shares (per Basketball-Reference). He also scored 21.7 points per game and held Indiana together in the midst of Roy Hibbert's playoff collapse.

He was clearly rusty in his late-season return, but with the Pacers long eliminated from the playoffs, he was really just playing to get accustomed to the court again. If George can fully recover from his leg injury, he will continue to carve out his place amongst the all-time greats.

Honorable Mention: Brook Lopez (2008), Brandon Jennings (2009)

No. 10 Bust: Mouhamed Saer Sene (2006)

At seven feet tall with a 7'8" wingspan, per Draft Express, Mouhamed Saer Sene impressed many teams coming into the draft, including the Seattle Supersonics. Instead, Sene followed the footsteps of Sonics 2004 and 2005 first-round picks Robert Swift and Johan Petro, leaving Seattle with three underperforming young big men.

Sene never really got the chance to develop in Seattle, which stunted his NBA growth as a whole. Even though the Sonics finished 31-51 in his rookie season, Sene played just six minutes per game before being sent down to the D-League in January.

He managed to make it back to the Supersonics for 13 games in 2007-08, then played six more the following season, never receiving more playing time than he had as a rookie. By age 22, Sene was playing in France, where he spent most of his career until returning to the D-League in March.

Honorable Mention: Jimmer Fredette (2011), Austin Rivers (2012)