NBA Mock Draft: 5 Biggest Potential Busts in the 2011 Draft Class

Every draft is subject to multiple busts no matter what the sport is. With the NBA Draft, sometimes you make a big-time splash, and other times you strike out. 

The 2011 NBA Draft class is being called one of the worst ever. It's clear it isn't as strong as it could be. Some top prospects decided to return to school, which has given other prospects a huge leap in their draft stock. 

Drafting an international player is always a risky pick because it may be a while before he joins the roster, and when he does, he may never pan out well in the NBA. However, in the 2011 NBA draft class there are more than just international players that have bust written all over them. 

Several players are potential busts, but here are five I believe may never amount to anything in the NBA. 

5. Alec Burks, SG, Colorado

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 11: Alec Burks #10 of the Colorado Buffaloes drives with the ball against the Kansas Jayhawks during their semifinal game in the 2011 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at Sprint Center on March 11, 2011 in Kansas City

Alec Burks averaged 20 points per game this past season at Colorado. During the NIT he averaged 24 points per game. All he did for the Buffaloes was score. 

Burks is rated as the top pure shooting guard in the draft class.

Because of team needs, it is likely that Burks will be a late lottery pick.

Is he worthy of this? 

Burks' strong suit is his ability to take it to the rim. His penetrating skills is what scouts are in love with, as well as his leaping ability. The 6'6" 195 lb. guard is electrifying. 

However, his potential to be a bust is strong because he isn't that great of a shooter.

A shooting guard that can't shoot has bust written all over it.  

Burks is a streaky perimeter shooter with not-so-great range. Not a good thing for a shooting guard. 

4. Bismack Biyombo, PF, Congo

Bismack Biyombo is an 18-year-old kid from Congo. He is currently playing in Spain, and because of his big frame and great defensive skills, he has attracted the eyes of many NBA scouts. 

Biyombo is 6'9", 243 pounds, which is remarkable for just an 18-year-old. He has a 7'7" wingspan and is a superb rebounder. 

However, his offensive game is lacking. He is being dubbed a sure-fire lottery pick, and ESPN Insider Chad Ford tweeted last night he could be in play for Minnesota at the No. 2 spot. 

Outside of easy dunks Biyombo doesn't have much of an offensive game. He's still raw, and certainly has time to grow, but if picked by the wrong team he may never develop into what he could truly become. 

Biyombo has potential bust written all over him. 

3. Jimmer Fredette, G, BYU

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LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 12: Jimmer Fredette #32 of the Brigham Young University Cougars shoots a jump shot during the championship game of the Conoco Mountain West Conference Basketball tournament against the San Diego State Aztecs at the Thomas & Mack Cen

Jimmer Fredette was arguably one of the best players in all of college basketball this past season. He could shoot from anywhere on the court, and excelled at taking the ball to the hoop. 

Fredette often made it look easy to knock down a 25-foot jumper. He averaged 35 points per game this past season helping the BYU Cougars reach the Sweet 16. 

Because Fredette is a clutch three-point shooter, he is being penciled in as a late lottery pick. However, this may not be a smart move because Fredette is truly a shooting guard, not a point guard. 

He is undersized for the NBA, and will most likely never be a starter at the next level. He doesn't play defense, and isn't the best of distributors.

Do you really want to use a lottery pick on a role player? 

2. Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Diego State

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ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 24: Kawhi Leonard #15 of the San Diego State Aztecs dunks the ball against the Connecticut Huskies during the west regional semifinal of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at the Honda Center on March 24, 2011 in Anaheim, Calif

Kawhi Leonard has seen his draft stock skyrocket in the past week or so. The 6'7", 225 lb. 19-year-old is now being considered a lock for the top 10, and some even have him in the top five. 

Leonard averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds this past season for the San Diego State Aztecs. He helped his school get their first ever NCAA Tournament victory. 

Leonard will be picked higher than he should because of team needs. He is a great rebounder for his position and size, but needs to work on his perimeter game. He is a bit of a tweener, and lacks lateral quickness.

He's only 19, so his offensive skills are still developing, but it worries me that he wasn't extremely dominant in college. He wasn't playing very tough opponents in the Mountain West Conference.

What will happen when he faces lock-down defenders in the NBA? 

1. Donatas Motiejunas, PF, Lithuania

It's always risky to draft an international player because you never know what you're going to get. He could turn out to be a star, or a big-time bust. Talk about a waste of a draft pick. 

Donatas Motiejunas is a 7'0", 220-pound power forward from Lithuania. He is an aggressive scorer in the paint with strong basketball intelligence. Some consider him a late lottery pick, or a mid first-round pick. I don't see him slipping past No. 20.  

However, it could be a while before he joins the NBA and the fact that he is only 220 pounds as a seven-footer worries me.

Do you really want to gamble on this?

If he never adds the weight and stays rail thin he will definitely be a bust. 

Motiejunas needs to add strength. The 20-year-old also lacks the experience for the next level. Seven-footers are hard to come by, which means a team may take the risk on him, but he has bust written all over him.

A skinny, soft seven-footer won't last very long at the next level.