Most Hyped NBA Rookies
by Dan Holmes,
July 10, 2025
The first sign that Michael Jordan was mortal was when he drafted Kwame Brown as the No. 1 pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. Jordan was sure Brown would be a star but instead he became the biggest rookie flop in NBA history.
Which are the most hyped NBA players, who turned out to be flops
We all want to believe experts are infallible. Shouldn’t the people being paid to make important decisions be excellent at their job? Well, it’s not always the case. Especially when it comes to drafting professional athletes.
The success rate by NBA scouts and front executives with draft picks is not always so good. Rookie flops and rookie fails happen frequently. Nearly every year a first round pick becomes an NBA draft bust. It infuriates fans, makes coaches scramble for options, and may even lead to general managers losing their job.
Dud rookies in the NBA are part of the history of pro basketball. Since the NBA became a legit league, there have been young, heralded and hyped first year players who became failed rookies.
Almost every fan of any team has experienced a failed NBA draft pick for their team. It stings, because when a team fails on a hyped rookie, it can set the franchise back for years. Even if the front office has a plan for “tanking” to get more chances at a lottery pick, NBA teams have proven they can shoot and miss on NBA Draft picks.
Kwame Brown: 2001 No. 1 NBA Draft Pick and Dud Rookies
Brown was selected first overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2001 NBA Draft, making history as the first high school player ever taken No. 1. At 6-foot-11 with a powerful frame and promising athleticism, he was expected to develop into a franchise cornerstone. But the weight of expectation, especially under the spotlight of then-team president Michael Jordan, quickly became a burden.
Brown struggled with confidence, inconsistent minutes, and the pressure of immediate production. His hands, often criticized for being unreliable, led to frequent turnovers and missed opportunities around the basket. Coaches questioned his work ethic and focus, and his development stalled early in his career. Though he lasted 12 seasons in the NBA and played for seven different teams, Kwame never averaged more than 10.9 points per game in a season.
While he had a long tenure as a role player, Brown became synonymous with the term “draft bust” because he never lived up to the expectations of a No. 1 pick. His story has since sparked broader debates about the risks of drafting raw high school talent.
Joe Smith: One of the 1995 Bad Rookies
Smith entered the NBA with high expectations after being picked No. 1 overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 1995 NBA Draft. A standout at Maryland, Smith was seen as a versatile forward with scoring and rebounding potential. While he had a solid rookie year and carved out a long NBA career, he never became the dominant star teams expect from a top pick. Instead, he was one of the NBA’s dud rookies.
A few of the future stars chosen in the 1995 Draft after Smith include Rasheed Wallace and Kevin Garnett.
Smith played for 12 different franchises over 16 seasons, often as a journeyman role player rather than a franchise cornerstone. His career averages were 10.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, which reflected steady but unspectacular production. His legacy is further clouded by an infamous contract scandal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Sam Bowie: Drafted Ahead of Michael Jordan
Among bad rookies, Sam Bowie may stand at the top. Which is appropriate for the big man who stood at over seven feet tall.
The Portland Trail Blazers had the second pick in the 1984 draft. The Rockets chose Hakeem Olajuwon with the No. 1 pick. The Blazers could have taken Michael Jordan. Or even Charles Barkley. But instead, they had NBA commissioner David Stern announce the name “SAM BOWIE”. Mistake.
Bowie was a giant, and he had great athleticism. At that time in the 1980s, big men were paramount when building a basketball roster. Believe it or not: many offenses were built around a big man posting up close to the hoop with their back to the basket. The three-point shot? In 1983-84, NBA teams averaged only 2.4 three-point attempts per game. Compare that to 37.6 attempts per game in the 2024-25 season.
But Bowie’s big man skills never materialized in the way Portland predicted. Chronic leg injuries derailed his career. He missed significant time due to multiple stress fractures and surgeries, limiting his impact on the court. He averaged 10 PPG and was never named an All-Star.
Bowie’s name became synonymous with missed potential, especially given the superstar drafted immediately after him: Jordan by the Bulls.
Pervis Ellison: 1989 No. 1 NBA Draft Pick
Never Nervous Pervis was a college superstar at Louisville. he should have been a star at the next level for the Kings. But as you probably know, since the Kings were terrible for basically all of the 1990s, that didn’t happen. Ellison never made the All-Star team, and averaged fewer than 10 points per game in an 11-year career. Sacramento probably should have drafted Mookie Blaylock, Tim Hardaway, or Glen Rice instead.
Darko Miličić: Pistons’ Choice Over Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony Etc.
Sometimes you can outsmart yourself by overthinking things. That’s what Pistons’ general manager Joe Dumars did in the 2003 draft when he plucked Miličić with the No. 2 overall selection. He could have had Dwyane Wade(!) or Chris Bosh(!) or Carmelo Anthony(!). Even Kirk Hinrich would have been a better selection among NBA rookies.
Miličić was just 18 years old when Detroit picked him between LeBron James (No. 1) and Anthony (No. 3). He was a 7-foot Serbian prospect touted for his size, mobility, and potential. However, he struggled to earn playing time under coach Larry Brown and never developed into a reliable contributor. While the Pistons won a championship in 2004, Miličić played only a minor role. His NBA career spanned ten seasons across six teams, but he averaged just 6 points and 4 rebounds per game. His selection remains a cautionary tale about drafting for upside (especially a teenager from an inferior European league) over proven talent.
Anthony Bennett: 2001 No. 1 NBA Draft Pick
Experts were split on whether Canadian-born Bennett would be a star in the National Basketball Association. That he became one of the most famous failed rookies is not just bad news for the Cavaliers, who picked No. 1 overall in 2013, it’s one of the biggest disappointments in pro hoops annals.
Had NBA online betting been more widespread legally in the U.S. when Bennett declined his final three years of college eligibility, most bettors would have wagered on A.B.’s chances to be a legend in sneakers. Instead, he averaged 4.4 points per game for four teams in a brief four-year NBA career.
Bennett is still just 32 years old in 2025, and he was recently playing pro basketball: for the Formosa Dreamers of the Taiwan Professional Basketball League. In March of 2025, the Dreamers ended the dream, and cut Bennett. Ouch.
Adam Morrison: Jordan’s Other Rookie Fail
Oh MJ, why didn’t you learn your lesson? Morrison went to the NBA as a hyped rookie after a standout college career at Gonzaga, where he led the nation in scoring and drew comparisons to Larry Bird.
Drafted third overall by the Charlotte Bobcats and Michael Jordan in 2006, expectations for Morrison were sky-high. But his game didn’t translate to the NBA: he struggled with defense and lacked athleticism. A torn ACL stalled his progress, and he never fully recovered. Morrison became a classic case of rookie fails, finishing with a brief, underwhelming pro career. And that terrible haircut didn’t help.