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Programs Best Player to NOT have a solid NBA Career

Forte-UNC
Lamb-UK
Morrison-Zags
Jeffries-IU, I know he played awhile but the dude didn't score just shocked by that


Who else...
Hummel-Purdue
Robinson-KU
Jerome Harmon-Louisville
Ed O'Bannon-UCLA
 
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Damn forgot about Forte, he was such a smooth scorer in college I thought he was gonna be a star as well.

Injuries pretty much got Hummel before he ever even got the chance. Purdue was rowdy with him and etwan Moore and (can’t think of stud guards name), shame they lost Hummel for two tourneys in a row I believe. Not saying they would have won both or either but they had a really nice team.
 
I loved Respert's game. Just didn't see that coming. I guess it just came down to Respert being undersized for the NBA.
Respert was money from deep. 47% from 3 while averaging 25 a game as a senior. He was a 20 PPG scorer for 3 years at MSU. He’s someone I think would have had more success in today’s NBA.
 
^^^ thanks that guy was not only fun to watch, he looked like he was having so much fun on the court.
 
KU:
Thomas Robinson(I'm still baffled by this one)

Josh Jackson: all of the tools are still there, plays well when he stays out of his own way. Hoping he has a comeback story.

Xavier Henry: Thought he'd have a long career as a 3 & D guy.


KSTATE: Micheal Beasley. Thought he should've been #1 over Rose(probably best im not a GM)

UK: Malik Monk ( I know its early and he shows promise, I just thought he'd be better at this point)
 
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Damn forgot about Forte, he was such a smooth scorer in college I thought he was gonna be a star as well.

Injuries pretty much got Hummel before he ever even got the chance. Purdue was rowdy with him and etwan Moore and (can’t think of stud guards name), shame they lost Hummel for two tourneys in a row I believe. Not saying they would have won both or either but they had a really nice team.

E’Twaun was the guard. Were you thinking of JaJuan Johnson who was our big guy?
 
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KU:
Thomas Robinson(I'm still baffled by this one)

Josh Jackson: all of the tools are still there, plays well when he stays out of his own way. Hoping he has a comeback story.

Xavier Henry: Thought he'd have a long career as a 3 & D guy.


KSTATE: Micheal Beasley. Thought he should've been #1 over Rose(probably best im not a GM)

UK: Malik Monk ( I know its early and he shows promise, I just thought he'd be better at this point)
Jackson and Monk still have time, both are pretty good.
 
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I think Jackson and Monk are alright too. Jackson got fresh start and seems they like him. Monk is a heater off bench he is a guy that could be a solid 6th man.
 
Always thought maybe Malik was too small to play SG in the NBA. If he can keep his head on straight, maybe he can find a nice role as a starter at some point.
 
Way too many from Duke...

Danny Ferry
Bobby Hurley
Jason Williams
Shelden Williams
Jon Scheyer (never played in the NBA)
Kyle Singler
Nolan Smith
 
E’Twaun was the guard. Were you thinking of JaJuan Johnson who was our big guy?

Yes thank you! Johnson is one of the longest lankiest players maybe ever. Skinny as a nail but he was still a damn good player.
 
There’s another bet where someone could have taken my life savings, if they would have bet me after the draft that Donovan Mitchell would have more of an NBA impact than Malik Monk. And I knew Mitchell was good, I just thought monk was gonna be a star.

Monk was so deadly from deep in college, and he didn’t even need to be open to get his shot off, he would bury jumpers in defenders grill. But yea definitely still plenty of time for Monk and Jackson to carve out nice nba careers.
 
Way too many from Duke...

Danny Ferry
Bobby Hurley
Jason Williams
Shelden Williams
Jon Scheyer (never played in the NBA)
Kyle Singler
Nolan Smith

who was the guard that played for duke with Elton brand (I think). Avery Williams or William Avery or something. I thought that kid would be a nba player as well. Your right though duke has had quite a few, and you could almost include Laettner was well, even though he made the league and stuck around for a bit, he never reached the level of stardom I personally anticipated.
 
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who was the guard that played for duke with Elton brand (I think). Avery Williams or William Avery or something. I thought that kid would be a nba player as well. Your right though duke has had quite a few, and you could almost include Laettner was well, even though he made the league and stuck around for a bit, he never reached the level of stardom I personally anticipated.

Yeah, William Avery was talented. Fun player to watch. Coach K urged him to come back another year. He was a late lottery pick, but fizzled out of the league quickly. He actually came back to Duke last fall with the intention of completing his degree. If you look closely behind the Duke team bench, you'll see he's lurking nearby in most of the games.

As far as Laettner, yes, most expected more production out of him. He was in All-Star in '97, though. He smoked a lot of pot during the latter part of his career, so perhaps that was to his detriment.
 
Carlos Boozer is the opposite to these guys above.
I didn't expect him to have the kind of career he did.

He probably could have been utilized a little more at Duke, tbh. I mean, 95% of his shots were within 5 feet of the goal. He had a very solid mid-range from 15-18 feet in the league. That was never on display at Duke, however. But yes, he definitely had much more success than Jason Williams and Mike Dunleavy, who went 2 and 3 in the draft... the same year Boozer was a second-round pick.
 
Always thought maybe Malik was too small to play SG in the NBA. If he can keep his head on straight, maybe he can find a nice role as a starter at some point.
I know the Hornets are trash, but I honestly like their young core. Devonte Graham, Terry Rozier, Miles Bridges, PJ Washington, Dwayne Bacon, Malik Monk. They have some decent F/C, but imo they should trade Hernangomez, Zeller, and maybe a draft pick for an elite PF/C.
 
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There’s another bet where someone could have taken my life savings, if they would have bet me after the draft that Donovan Mitchell would have more of an NBA impact than Malik Monk. And I knew Mitchell was good, I just thought monk was gonna be a star.

Monk was so deadly from deep in college, and he didn’t even need to be open to get his shot off, he would bury jumpers in defenders grill. But yea definitely still plenty of time for Monk and Jackson to carve out nice nba careers.
They just play two completely different sets of game. Donovan is more of a slasher and shooter, similar to Dwade just not as tall, but his 6’10 reach makes up for it. Also having a 42 inch vertical doesn’t hurt.
 
I know the Hornets are trash, but I honestly like their young core. Devonte Graham, Terry Rozier, Miles Bridges, PJ Washington, Dwayne Bacon, Malik Monk. They have some decent F/C, but imo they should trade Hernangomez, Zeller, and maybe a draft pick for an elite PF/C.
If Michael Jordan wasn't the worst owner in NBA history I might have a little hope for them
 
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If Michael Jordan wasn't the worst owner in NBA history I might have a little hope for them
Lol, we’ll see. Like I said...a really good big would transform that team to a possible playoff team.
 
T
Yeah, William Avery was talented. Fun player to watch. Coach K urged him to come back another year. He was a late lottery pick, but fizzled out of the league quickly. He actually came back to Duke last fall with the intention of completing his degree. If you look closely behind the Duke team bench, you'll see he's lurking nearby in most of the games.

As far as Laettner, yes, most expected more production out of him. He was in All-Star in '97, though. He smoked a lot of pot during the latter part of his career, so perhaps that was to his detriment.

Thas pretty neat about Avery, I never noticed tbh.

and hard to blame a kid for leaving for the late lottery. Kids these days leave with no chance of even being drafted.
 
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They just play two completely different sets of game. Donovan is more of a slasher and shooter, similar to Dwade just not as tall, but his 6’10 reach makes up for it. Also having a 42 inch vertical doesn’t hurt.

Yea but monk could drive and yam on people as well in college. Imo Mitchell’s scoop shot and just all around finishing at the rim when he doesn’t have a wide open lane has allowed him to be so successful. Along with improving his outside shot. Which is basically the same thing u said, but I wouldn’t sell monk short as an athlete or a high flyer either, I don’t know his vert or reach of anything but he can get up as well.
 
Yea but monk could drive and yam on people as well in college. Imo Mitchell’s scoop shot and just all around finishing at the rim when he doesn’t have a wide open lane has allowed him to be so successful. Along with improving his outside shot. Which is basically the same thing u said, but I wouldn’t sell monk short as an athlete or a high flyer either, I don’t know his vert or reach of anything but he can get up as well.
No doubt, I actually like Malik Monk a lot. Dude was starting to show his potential until the drug test.
 
Way too many from Duke...

Danny Ferry
Bobby Hurley
Jason Williams
Shelden Williams
Jon Scheyer (never played in the NBA)
Kyle Singler
Nolan Smith
In fairness to Jay Will----he only played one season, before his accident. Averaged 9ppg, 5apg as a rookie.
 
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In fairness to Jay Will----he only played one season, before his accident. Averaged 9ppg, 5apg as a rookie.

Speaking of Jay Will, super small world stuff for me. A girl I grew up with in Indy married him haha. Super random.
 
Louisville - Jerome Harmon, that guy was an unbelievable athlete. Not sure whatever happened to him
 
Way too many from Duke...

Danny Ferry
Bobby Hurley
Jason Williams
Shelden Williams
Jon Scheyer (never played in the NBA)
Kyle Singler
Nolan Smith

I think it is hard to include Bobby, Jason, and Jon in there... they suffered such crazy injuries... it’s hard to ding them for that, you know?

I mean, I know the thread didn’t originally differentiate or anything, but...
 
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Since someone already mentioned TJ Ford
Where are tbe Auburn fans at

Some of you may be too young to remember Chris Porter but he was on their team last time they were great in the late 1990s.

His athleticism was crazy.

Should have stuck on a NBA roster but there were other factors involved off the court. Especially mentally.

Tyrus Thomas from LSU was another.
Took LSU to the Final Four by himself in 06.

Never became that Marcus Camby type big many thought he could be.
But in college just controlled the interior.
 
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Excellent list, ’d throw wayne turner in there as well. Dude was such a stud in college, despite his hanky shooting form.

Also while Mercer and Anderson played in the nba for a stint, neither made the impact I anticipated. I figured both would be multi time all stars.

I also thought James Young would be a stud in the nba, he could fill it up from deep.
I haven't read them all, but i want to add Kenny Walker. And I thought Jeff Sheppard had a shot also.
 
Luke Jackson

2x 1st Team all PAC 12
Averaged over 21 ppg during his senior year

He ended up coaching at a small D-2 school in Eugene, OR. He went 88-38 in 4 seasons before resigning.
 
KU:
Thomas Robinson(I'm still baffled by this one)

Josh Jackson: all of the tools are still there, plays well when he stays out of his own way. Hoping he has a comeback story.

Xavier Henry: Thought he'd have a long career as a 3 & D guy.


KSTATE: Micheal Beasley. Thought he should've been #1 over Rose(probably best im not a GM)

UK: Malik Monk ( I know its early and he shows promise, I just thought he'd be better at this point)

My favorite KU player that I thought had a chance in the NBA was Steve Woodberry. Didn't even play a minute in the NBA.
Knasas has so many guys recently that fill the bill of not living up to expectation:
Darrell Arthur
Raef Lafrentz
Drew Gooden
Keith Langford
Brandon Rush
Julian Wright
 
My favorite KU player that I thought had a chance in the NBA was Steve Woodberry. Didn't even play a minute in the NBA.
Knasas has so many guys recently that fill the bill of not living up to expectation:
Darrell Arthur
Raef Lafrentz
Drew Gooden
Keith Langford
Brandon Rush
Julian Wright


gordon played from 2003 to 2016. That’s a pretty good career.
 
Since someone already mentioned TJ Ford
Where are tbe Auburn fans at

Some of you may be too young to remember Chris Porter but he was on their team last time they were great in the late 1990s.

His athleticism was crazy.

Should have stuck on a NBA roster but there were other factors involved off the court. Especially mentally.

Tyrus Thomas from LSU was another.
Took LSU to the Final Four by himself in 06.

Never became that Marcus Camby type big many thought he could be.
But in college just controlled the interior.

I’ll add Stromile Swift in for LSU as well, he played in the nba, but I thought that he would be a perennial all star. I thought he had KG type potential.

And ur right Tyrus Thomas was such a beast at LSU as well. I do think he played with big baby thought right?
 
gordon played from 2003 to 2016. That’s a pretty good career.
Gooden did have a long nba career, however he was never the stud that I thought he would be coming out of ku. He averaged 10 a game for his career, but I thought he could have been an all timer. Never sure why he couldn’t stick with one team.
 
Ronnie Lestor for Iowa had his career ended with a knee injury. otherwise who know's what type of Career he would have had. the next has to be Roy Marble SR, drew comparisons to MJ. to bad he got into drugs.

the comparison to MJ was unfair but sometimes a player as to just ignore any comparison and make a name for themselves.
 
Most of FSU’s best players actually end up having at least a solid career. Sam Cassell, Dave Cowens, Charlie Ward, Bobby Sura, George McCloud, Toney Douglas. Jon Isaac and Malik Beasley seem to be on their way.

Mitchell Wiggins, Al Thornton, and Doug Edwards are three I thought would do better. Although in Thornton’s case it was injury related. He made the All-Rookie team and averaged like 16 a game his second or third year, but then a bad knee injury.
 
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