NBA franchises place their hopes on new players every year who will carry the future of the team. In theory, the first overall pick in the draft is considered to be a future superstar, a player with outstanding talent who will help his team win games and championships. However, the first overall pick does not guarantee the success of the team or player, and there have been many players in history who were first overall picks but proved to be complete flops and had disappointing careers.
#10 Michael Olowokandi
The seven-foot Michael Olowokandi was a great player in his senior year of college and recorded 22.2 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game. So, the Los Angeles Clippers definitely wanted him on their team. The franchise selected him as the first overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft. However, Olowokandi turned out to be a big disappointment, as he could not even lead the Clippers to the playoffs and averaged only 8.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
#9 Kwame Brown
Kwame Brown spent 12 years in the NBA and played for seven teams, including the Washington Wizards, who selected him in the first overall pick of the 2001 Draft. Brown was expected to not only perform basic defensive duties but also develop his offensive skills. However, Brown never reached that level and remained a below average, underachieving player throughout his career. Some believe that Kwame was not mentally prepared and, hence, was unable to handle the pressure of being the first choice in the draft. His best season in the league was 2003–04, when he recorded 10.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.
#8 Andrea Bargnani
Andrea Bargnani was the first overall pick in the 2006 draft. The Toronto Raptors saw a lot of potential in him. However, the Italian player couldn’t live up to expectations. Although he had some productive seasons, overall, he had a lackluster career. In his 10 NBA seasons, the 7’0” player played 550 games, averaging 14.3 points, 1.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds.
#7 Greg Oden
Greg Oden was the first overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. The franchise saw him as a potential player. Unfortunately, knee injuries did not allow Oden to reach even half of his potential and abilities. As a result, he missed four seasons due to injuries and barely played three years. Oden was one of the worst first picks in NBA history, but it wasn’t his fault at all, as he was just unlucky.
#6 Pervis Ellison
The Sacramento Kings selected Pervis Ellison with the first overall pick of the 1989 NBA draft. He played only one season with the Kings and was then traded to the Washington Bullets, where he played four seasons before being released. Ellison played for five years with Boston and finished his career with the Seattle Supersonics. He recorded disappointing numbers as a first overall pick, averaging 9.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.6 blocks per game.
#5 Anthony Bennett
There wasn’t a lot of talent in the 2013 NBA draft, as there weren’t really any promising picks, but still that year, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Bennett because they saw him as an effective power forward who could contribute defensively as well. However, in the NBA, Bennett gave disappointing performances. He only played four seasons, recording 4.4 points, 0.5 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game.
#4 Kent Benson
Benson was the first overall pick in the 1977 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. He played only three seasons with the Bucks and recorded 9.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 blocks per game. The center then played seven seasons with the Detroit Pistons and had some good years, but still, he didn’t live up to expectations.
#3 Dick Ricketts
Dick Ricketts was the first pick in the 1955 draft by the St. Louis Hawks. He played only three seasons in the NBA and didn’t achieve much in the sport. Then Ricketts followed his dream of playing baseball and played one season for the St. Louis Cardinals, which did not go so well. During his NBA career, Ricketts averaged 9.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
#2 Mark Workman
The Milwaukee Bucks selected power forward Mark Workman as the first pick in the 1952 NBA draft. It was one of the biggest draft busts in the history of basketball. Mark Workman hardly played two NBA seasons, as he averaged 4.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. Additionally, Workman’s average field goal percentage was 33%.
#1 LaRue Martin
LaRue Martin was without a doubt the most disappointing first pick in NBA draft history. The Portland Trail Blazers selected him in 1972 and the center did not have an NBA team until 1977. This shows how disappointing this 6’11” center was, as he averaged 5.3 points, 0.5 blocks and 4.6 rebounds per game. Which was definitely bizarre for a man of his size.
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