Kentucky Basketball: 15 Biggest NBA Draft Busts in Wildcats History
In the 2010 draft, the University of Kentucky made history by having five of its players selected in the first round. John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson, Eric Bledsoe and Daniel Orton were all selected within the first 29 picks last year, and despite losing those outstanding players, the Wildcats still made it back to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament the following season.
Wall definitely had what would be described as an excellent rookie campaign for the Washington Wizards. In 69 games, Wall averaged 16.4 points and 8.3 assists per game. While the Wizards went through a tremendous amount of changes throughout the year, Wall figures to be a presence in that lineup for years to come.
Cousins also had an excellent first season with the Sacramento Kings, averaging 14.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, however Cousins struggled with maintaining his composure, collecting 14 technical fouls and averaging over four personal fouls per game. Cousins will have to learn to rein in his temper a bit, or he could draw comparisons to Rasheed Wallace.
The jury is still out on Patterson and Bledsoe, and Orton spent most of the season rehabbing his knee, so time will tell how these three will be judged.
While it’s still a bit early to determine whether or not last year’s crop of Kentucky stars will be a bust or a boon, there has a been a litany of stars from UK that did not work out quite as well as their drafting teams would have hoped.
The following is a list of 15 players from the University of Kentucky who did not perform as expected in their NBA careers.
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Honorable Mention: Antoine Walker: Sixth Pick, Round 1, Boston Celtics, 1996
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Antoine Walker was an integral part of the Kentucky Wildcats team that won the NCAA tournament in 1996. Walker made the decision to turn pro following his sophomore season, and was selected with the sixth pick overall by the Boston Celtics in the 1996 NBA draft.
As a rookie, Walker led the Celtics in points scored and rebounds in his rookie season, and after his second year, the Celtics added guard Paul Pierce, and the two would form a 1-2 punch for the Celtics for the next several seasons.
However, the Celtics were unable to get past the conference finals in those years, and Walker was dealt to the Dallas Mavericks before the start of the 2003-2004 season.
Walker was unable to crack the starting lineup for the Mavericks, and was eventually dealt to the Atlanta Hawks. In 2005, Walker was dealt by the Hawks back to his original team, the Celtics, where he finished the season. The following offseason, Walker became part of the largest trade in NBA history (five teams, 13 players) when he was dealt to the Miami Heat. Together with Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal, Walker finally won his first NBA championship in 2006.
Walker was traded two more times before his NBA career finally ended in 2008. While he was definitely a key piece of the Miami Heat team in 2006, Walker was often in the news for several off-court incidents, including robberies, gambling issues and, after his career ended, felony arrests for writing bad checks related to his outrageous gambling debts.
15. Walter McCarty: 19th Pick, Round 1, 1996, New York Knicks
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Walter McCarty, like Antoine Walker, was also a key player for the University of Kentucky in its NCAA championship season in 1996. McCarty was selected by the New York Knicks with the 19th overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft.
McCarty never found his rhythm in New York, being traded before the start of the following season to the Boston Celtics. While McCarty started 64 games in his first season with the Celtics, he was essentially a bench player for the remainder of his career.
McCarty became famous in Boston for one thing, however. He became Celtics announcer Tommy Heinsohn’s favorite cries on the local airwaves, often crying out “I love Walter!” after one of McCarty’s rare good plays.
While McCarty was a favorite in Boston for his style of play, his NBA career certainly did not become what was expected of a first-round pick.
14. Vern Hatton: Ninth Pick, Round 1, Cincinnati Royals, 1958
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Vern Hatton became a legend at the University of Kentucky, playing under Hall of Fame coach Adolph Rupp. In 1958, Hatton scored 30 points to lead the Kentucky Wildcats over the Elgin Baylor-led Seattle Chieftains in winning the 1958 NCAA men's basketball championship.
Hatton was selected by the Cincinnati Royals with the ninth overall pick in the 1958 NBA draft, however, Hatton was traded by the Royals just 23 games into his rookie season to the Philadelphia Warriors.
Hatton never found success in the NBA, and finished his career following the 1961-1962 season at just 26 years of age.
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13. Kyle Macy: 22nd Pick, Round 1, Phoenix Suns, 1979
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Kyle Macy, who started his collegiate basketball player at Purdue after being named Mr. Basketball in Indiana in 1975, played his final three years for the Kentucky Wildcats after transferring from the Boilermakers.
Macy was wildly successful at Kentucky, becoming a three-time All-American and was part of the Wildcats team that won the NCAA national championship in 1978.
In 1979, Macy was selected with the 22nd overall pick by the Phoenix Suns in the NBA draft. Macy spent five years with the Suns, and then one year each with the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers before retiring in 1987.
In seven seasons, Macy averaged 9.5 points and 4.0 assists per game. Certainly not a bad career, but nothing rivaling that of his tremendous collegiate career with the Wildcats.
12. Derek Anderson: 13th Pick, Round 1, Cleveland Cavaliers, 1997
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Derek Anderson, along with Antoine Walker and Walter McCarty, was a key figure on the Kentucky Wildcats team that won the 1996 NCAA championship.
Although Anderson missed most of his senior season at UK due to a torn ACL, he was nonetheless drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 13th overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft.
The Cavaliers should have realized that the torn ACL was a bad sign. Anderson was plagued throughout most of his NBA career with a variety of injuries, only playing more than 70 games three times in his 11-year career.
Anderson did win an NBA championship with the Miami Heat in 2006, but was largely a non-factor, only appearing in eight games during the playoffs.
11. Tony Delk: 16th Pick, Round 1, Charlotte Hornets, 1996
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Tony Delk was one of the more highly recruited high school basketball players when he was named Mr. Basketball in Tennessee in 1992 following his senior year at Haywood High School. Delk decided on the University of Kentucky, and under Rick Pitino, Delk had an outstanding collegiate career, leading the Wildcats, along with Antoine Walker, Walter McCarty and Derek Anderson to the 1996 NCAA championship.
Delk was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 16th overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft, becoming the second of three players drafted in the first round from the Wildcats.
Delk’s NBA career never fully materialized, mainly playing off the bench during his 10 seasons with eight different teams. He finished his NBA career with career averages of 9.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists.
10. Keith Bogans: 43rd Pick, Round 2, Milwaukee Bucks, 2003
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Shooting guard Keith Bogans was a high school All-American and four-year starter at the University of Kentucky under coach Tubby Smith. After being chosen as an All-American following his senior season, Bogans was selected with the 43rd pick in the second round by the Milwaukee Bucks, but was immediately traded on draft day to the Orlando Magic.
Bogans did start half of his games with the Magic in his rookie season, however the Magic elected to trade him to the Charlotte Bobcats following his rookie year.
Bogans has never settled in any NBA city for longer than two-and-a-half seasons, and through the current season has averaged only 6.7 points in his career, mostly playing off the bench.
However, for the Chicago Bulls this season, Bogans has enjoyed success in a largely sacrificial role, being counted upon for his defense and three-point shooting skills. Bogans has been heavily relied upon by coach Tom Thibodeau for his veteran leadership in keeping the team focused on team defense.
9. Winston Bennett: 64th Pick, Round 3, Cleveland Cavaliers, 1988
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Winston Bennett was Mr. Basketball in the state of Kentucky in 1983 before playing his collegiate ball at Kentucky. Bennett played for four years at UK, teaming with Rex Chapman in his senior year to lead the Wildcats to the Sweet Sixteen in the 1988 NCAA men’s tournament.
Bennett was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the third round of the 1988 NBA draft, however he elected to play in Italy before moving on to the Continental Basketball Association. He made his debut with the Cavaliers in the 1989-1990 season.
Bennett’s style of play just never resonated on the NBA court, playing only three seasons and averaging only 4.8 points per game before retiring in 1992.
8. Scott Padgett: 28th Pick, Round 1, Utah Jazz, 1999
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Scott Padgett was not considered to be a great college prospect, however University of Kentucky head coach Rick Pitino saw something in him that he liked, and recruited Padgett to play for the Wildcats.
Padgett was a key part of the 1997 Kentucky team that lost the NCAA championship final game to the University of Arizona. Padgett was named to the All-NCAA Final Four team that year.
The following year, Padgett helped lead Kentucky back to the promised land, winning the 1998 NCAA championship for the second time in three seasons. After his senior season, Padgett was selected with the 28th overall pick by the Utah Jazz in the 1999 NBA draft.
Padgett never became a starter during his NBA career, playing his first four seasons with the Jazz as part of their second-team rotation. Padgett played for three other teams as a back-end bench player before retiring in 2007.
Padgett’s illustrious career stats were 4.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
7. Rick Robey: Third Pick, Round 1, Indiana Pacers, 1978
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One would expect that any player who was selected with the third overall pick in the NBA draft would have some pretty major accomplishments in his career, but for Rick Robey, his biggest claim to fame in the NBA was backing up Robert Parish for the 1981 Boston Celtics during their championship run.
Robey was the center on the University of Kentucky team that won the NCAA championship in 1978. Selected with the third pick by the Indiana Pacers in the 1978 NBA draft, Robey was a career backup, and while he certainly played some key minutes in the 1980-1981 season for the Celtics in the quest for their 14th championship banner, his NBA career was largely a bust.
6. Jack Givens, 16th Pick, Round 1, Atlanta Hawks, 1978
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Jack Givens, who was named Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball in 1974, was the star of the University of Kentucky during its 1978 NCAA championship season, scoring 41 points in the championship game to secure the victory, and was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player for his efforts.
Givens was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 16th overall pick in that year’s NBA draft, joining UK teammate Rick Robey as a first-round selection from the Wildcats.
However, Givens never achieved the success in the NBA that he had with the Wildcats, playing only two seasons for the Hawks in a limited backup role. In 1980, Givens was selected in the NBA expansion draft by the Dallas Mavericks, but elected not to report and retired from the NBA.
Givens actually became more famous off the court years later, when he was accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 2004. He was later acquitted of the charges.
5. LeRon Ellis: 22nd Pick, Round 1, Los Angeles Clippers, 1991
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During the 1987-1988 season at the University of Kentucky, power forward LeRon Ellis was often compared to former Kentucky great Sam Bowie. While Ellis was more of a bench player during his freshman season, he was still highly touted as a player that would lead the Wildcats in the coming years.
However, the 1988-1989 season was marred by an NCAA investigation into recruiting practices and the decision by Rex Chapman to leave school early for the NBA. In addition, Shawn Kemp had decided to transfer, and Eric Manuel was suspended for the entire season, leaving an inexperienced Ellis to lead the team.
After suffering through a miserable 13-19 season, and NCAA sanctions imposed on the University of Kentucky basketball program, Ellis transferred to Syracuse University, where he finished his collegiate career.
Ellis was selected with the 22nd overall pick of the 1991 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. However, Ellis’ game on the NBA level was largely criticized for his inconsistent play, and after three seasons with three different teams, Ellis was out of the NBA.
4. Kenny Walker: Fifth Pick, Round 1, New York Knicks, 1986
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Kenny “Sky” Walker was a highly touted recruit for the University of Kentucky after being named Mr. Basketball in the state of Georgia in 1982.
Walker was a two-time All-American during his collegiate career with the Wildcats, and was selected with the fifth pick overall in the 1986 NBA draft by the New York Knicks.
Walker started many of his team’s games during his first two seasons, but was more famous for winning the NBA dunk contest during the All-Star festivities in 1989. Walker ended up leaving the NBA for Spain in 1991 due to continuing knee issues.
Walker did attempt a return to the NBA in 1993 with the Washington Bullets, however he saw limited action in two seasons, finally retiring in 1995.
The man named “Sky” was largely grounded due to major knee issues and never fully realized his potential.
3. Jamaal Magloire: 19th Pick, Round 1, Charlotte Hornets, 2000
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Center Jamaal Magloire was part of the Kentucky Wildcats team that won the 1998 NCAA championship, and finished his career at UK as the all-time leader in blocks.
Magloire was selected with the 19th pick overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2000 NBA draft. After sitting on the bench for the first two seasons, Magloire cracked the starting lineup in 2002, and the following season was named to the Eastern Conference All-Star squad. Magloire averaged a double-double in the 2003-2004 season, with 13.6 points and 10.3 rebounds.
Magloire was traded by the Hornets after suffering injuries in the following season to the Milwaukee Bucks. That would prove to be the last year that Magloire would be a starting center.
Since his trade from the Hornets, Magloire has played for five teams, the last three with the Miami Heat, where he has pretty much languished on the bench.
There aren’t many big men who can play with the effort and consistency like a Tim Duncan or Dirk Nowitzki, and Magloire was expected to be that type of player coming out of college. Aside from one special season in 2003-2004, Magloire has been a huge disappointment.
2. Melvin Turpin: Sixth Pick, Round 1, Washington Bullets, 1984
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When center Mel Turpin finished his career at the University of Kentucky, he was largely expected to have a great career in the NBA. He was selected with the sixth overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft by the Washington Bullets, and was immediately traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Tim McCormick and Cliff Robinson.
To say that his NBA career was a disappointed would be a huge understatement, with the word huge being the operative word. During his five-year career in the NBA, Turpin constantly struggled with his weight, and earned such endearing nicknames as "Dinner Bell Mel" and "The Mealman.”
Turpin committed suicide on July 8, 2010 from an apparent gunshot wound at his home in Lexington, KY.
1. Sam Bowie, Second Pick, Round 1, Portland Trail Blazers, 1984
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Sam Bowie, a 7’1” center, had an outstanding high school career, being named to the McDonald’s and Parade All-American teams in his senior season. Bowie continued to excel on the collegiate level at the University of Kentucky, where he was a third-team All-American in his freshman year. After two injury-plagued seasons, Bowie once again shined in his senior season, and was a second-team All-American selection.
When it came time for the 1984 NBA draft, the Houston Rockets selected Hakeem Olajuwon with their first pick, and the Portland Trail Blazers then selected Bowie, passing on North Carolina basketball star Michael Jordan.
That decision turned out to be the worst decision in the history of the Trail Blazers franchise.
While Bowie would play 10 seasons in the NBA, it was largely an injury-riddled career. While both Jordan and Olajuwon would help lead their teams to NBA championships, Bowie never even sniffed a title.
In 2005, ESPN noted the Trail Blazers selection of Bowie as the worst draft pick in the history of the NBA.
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