Top 5 draft busts of all time

In a league veering increasingly towards a title or bust line of thought, draft picks are a huge asset, even more so than before. Not only do they give trade flexibility, they allow teams to build their rosters at a fraction of the cost they would otherwise incur by looking to fill roster spots with established stars. And that is only the half of it.

One cannot forget the immense trade value of these picks; case in point - the Boston Celtics throwing in the 2018 Brooklyn Nets pick as the kicker in the deal to acquire Kyrie Irving from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

But no one is a guaranteed success in the NBA and some of the highest recruited draft picks have flamed out spectacularly, as we shall showcase. Bear in mind, though, that we are not accounting for players that were unable to make an impact due to injuries, so that there are absolutely no excuses for those condemned to this notorious list.

#5 Sam Bowie

Before you jump the gun, let's put things into perspective. Bowie averaged 10.9 points and 7.5 boards per game for his career. Would any team looking for an impact bench player take those numbers? Absolutely.

But Bowie had the misfortune (in hindsight) of being drafted at number 2 in the 1984 Draft. The very same draft class that had Hakeem Olajuwon at No. 1 and Michael Jordan at No. 3. Suffice to say, expectations were significantly higher for Mr. Bowie when he was picked over the GOAT by the Portland Trail Blazers.

#4 Darko Milicic

Milicic was a part of the same draft as LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade

Another bust that needs a little bit of context. Milicic wasn't the biggest bust if you go by sheer numbers, with career averages of 6.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. He was just part of one the greatest draft classes of all time.

The very same one that also boasted LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Drafted at number 2, he didn't quite have the impact he was projected to have on his franchise, while several players drafted after him have gone on to have Hall of Fame, title-winning careers.

#3 Kwame Brown

Brown was drafted as the No. 1 pick by Michael Jordan himself

When you're drafted as the number 1 pick straight out of high school by none other than Michael Jordan, you're expected to be a success. Brown failed to kick on from what looked to be a promising position in the league.

Stories float around about how playing next to the ultra-competitive Jordan was brutal for the young player. But even later in his career, Brown never truly touched the potential ceiling he was hailed to break through. He bounced around the league, playing for seven different teams before calling it quits in 2013.

#2 Adam Morrison

Morrison failed to make an impact following an ACL injury

Drafted at number 3 in the 2006 Draft, Morrison is the only one on this list with a championship(s), albeit without much contribution. Despite a hot start in the league, Morrison hit the rookie wall early in his first season and never really recovered.

He was unfortunate to suffer an ACL injury but he came back from the injury and played a further two seasons before becoming disillusioned with the sport. But hey, he does have two rings, courtesy Kobe Bryant and his back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.

#1 Anthony Bennett

Anthony Bennett was the first Canadian to be drafted at the top of his draft class

In one of the most lopsided draft classes in recent memory, Anthony Bennett benefitted massively from huge errors in judgement in gauging the talents in the draft. Taken number 1 by the Cavs in a draft that included Giannis Antetokounmpo, C.J. McCollum and Rudy Gobert, Bennett was the first Canadian to be drafted at the top of his draft class.

So far, he's started only three games in his career and wasn't even able to make the starting lineup for the hapless Brooklyn Nets last season.