What makes a player a bust?

intruder

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Talking high lottery picks in the NBA (Picks 1-5) or NFL 1st and 2nd rounders

MY EXPECTATIONS: Typically pick 1-7 are expected to at least be impact players if not eventual all-stars. i expect picks 8-16 to at least be starters on their respective teams by year 3. I dont think any team are usually looking for back up for their starters until late 1st round if they are indeed sold on said starter long term. And i usually dont expect a lot from NBA 2nd rounders other then them being capable backups.

Granted, there other factors that may slow down or impede a player's progress but after how long (number of SEASONS) since a player's initial draft do you start to ask what gives?

We've seen players that were in bad situations where the team was so deep an in win-now mode so there was no place for them in the rotation
  • Jermaine O'Neal (9)(17) in Portland
Players that were just bad fits on teams or it took them a while to develop
  • Chauncey Billups (3) in Boston and Denver
  • Kawhi Leonard (15)
And players that just never put it together despite their gifts
  • Olowokandi (1)
  • Anthony Bennett (1)
  • Darius Miles (3)
  • Darko Milicik (2)

NFL: So many players drafted each year, Players drafted in rounds 1 and 2 are expected to be impact players if not eventual pro-bowlers

Edit: Forget Disregard my Jermaine O'neal mention since he was a 17th pick and typically the expectations for these picks are lower
 

MikelArteta

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Goatganda the pearl of Africa
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How the rest of the draft stacks up

If Kenyon Martin was the first pick in 2003 he'd be deemed a bust, but because his draft year was weak as hell even though he was just an above avg NBA player who never averaged more than 16.7 a game but he's never called a bust
 

75 Others

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Darko Milicik (2)

I said this in a thread yesterday, Darko wasn't given the chance to display whatever gifts he may have had. How you draft a dude #2 and have him at the end of the bench his enitre rookie season makes no sense, but they won the title so :hubie:
 

intruder

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If Kenyon Martin was the first pick in 2003 he'd be deemed a bust, but because his draft year was weak as hell even though he was just an above avg NBA player who never averaged more than 16.7 a game but he's never called a bust
Kenyon was a damn good player they years he played with Kidd (think they went to the finals). He never evolved into a star but I never quite labeled him a bust. He might fit the bill but not sure why im reluctant to give it to him especially since i never liked the guy. His career was plagued by injuries and while i tend to give players a pass over injuries I also have to count it against them since the ability to stay healthy has to count for something :manny:
 

RubioTheCruel

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Injuries are a big part. Some peoples games just don't translate from the amateur to the pro level.

A lot of it is also a lack of drive. A lot of these guys are in their early 20s with a lot of money and access to the best of everything in life(women, material things, etc). Some of the guys who 'bust' are cats that don't necessarily like the sport that they went pro in, they just were good at it. Now that they're rich, they coast doing the bare minimum to get by, fukk bytches, smoke weed and enjoy the ride
 
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