Injured for his entire rookie season, Chet Holmgren could hardly have known a worse scenario to start his pro career. And inevitably, concern is on the side of Oklahoma City, who hopes that the second choice of the 2022 Draft will not join the long list of #2 picks who have planted their NBA adventure for one reason or another.
We don’t want to play the ominous birds but when we know the history of the second choice of NBA Draft, difficult not to have some cold sweats compared to Chet Holmgren. There have been real busts, there have been guys drafted right in front of NBA legends, and unfortunately some even met a tragic fate. So certainly that also applies to other picks of the Top 5, but choice #2 has quite a “prize”.
The pure busts of pick #2
We talked about the guy not too long ago, and obviously he has his place in the warm category of busts selected in second position. This guy is Hasheem Thabeet, selected number 2 by the Grizzlies in 2009 and who finally finished in the Taiwanese league. 2.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.8 against average in 224 NBA games, in other words, his contribution to the biggest league in the world went unnoticed, he who had notably established himself as a defensive force at the University of UConn. But don’t worry, Hasheem isn’t the only representative when it comes to pick #2 bust. say hello to Danny Ferry. He is remembered more for his career as a manager than for that of an NBA player, which is to say how little he did on the court. Drafted by the Clippers in 1989 after a very accomplished university career under the colors of the famous Duke University, Ferry first made a (very productive) stopover in Italy to then ignite the stats at the Cavaliers with 8 points and 3 rebounds on average. Danny Ferry? Danny Rather laugh.
#2 picks drafted in front of legends
Darko Milicic could also have ended up in the top category so much it corresponds to the definition of bust, but we will rather talk about it here. Because not only did his career never take off when some Pistons scouts saw him as “a young Wilt Chamberlain” (lol), but he also had the misfortune to have been selected ahead of some big names in the 2003 NBA Draft. , namely Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Similar misfortune for Sam Bowie 19 years earlier, he who will forever remain the man who was selected just before Michael Jordan in 1984. That’s what’s called being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bowie had a much more accomplished NBA career than Milicic despite many sores, but averaging 11 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks is largely insufficient when you’re drafted ahead of the GOAT. Finally, and we apologize right away to the Kings fans for putting the knife in the wound, hard not to mention Marvin Bagley III, selected in #2 by Sacramento in 2018. Ok Luka Doncic may not be a “legend” yet, but he is on the way while MBIII is still looking for his. The former Sacramento player, who now plays in Detroit, nevertheless still has time to change (a little) the narrative around him from the height of his 23 years.
Picks #2 with a tragic fate
There no joke because we officially enter the category of tragic destinies. Len Bias, selected number 2 by the Celtics in 1986, has never seen the color of an NBA floor. The one who was sometimes compared to Michael Jordan tragically lost his life only two days after the Draft following a cocaine overdose on the campus of the University of Maryland, where he had achieved so many exploits before taking the plunge. A real tragedy that marked the Great League, his college, and which was even at the origin of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act – also called the Len Bias Act – signed by US President Ronald Reagan in the midst of War on Drugs. The 30 for 30 documentary “Without Bias” is a must-see if you haven’t seen it yet.
In June 2003, Jay Williams narrowly avoided his death, but his NBA career did not survive. The Bulls’ second pick in 2002 crashed on a motorcycle near Chicago, all while not wearing a helmet. Victim of several serious injuries including a rupture of the ligaments of the left knee, the university champion passed by Duke even temporarily loses the use of a leg following the accident. In the end, if Jay will recover from this episode to integrate the world of the media, his adventure in the Big League did not exceed 75 games, with a small nomination in the NBA All-Rookie Second Team on the list.
Mentions :
- Don Rehfeldt1950 (a bridge master, if not a basketball master)
- Archie Dees1958 (a machine at Indiana University, which largely broke down at the highest level)
- Tom Stith1961 (made happiness at St. Bonaventure University, but could only play 25 NBA games due to tuberculosis)
- Paul Hogue1962 (only 65 games played for stats of 6 points and 7 rebounds, it’s not a dream as they say)
- Shawn Bradley1993 (a counter specialist, but got dunked too many times for a 2m29 guy)
- Stromile Swift2000 (huge dunk player, mediocre basketball player)
- Derrick Williams2011 (highest career achievement: Turkish League All-Star)
- Michael Kidd-Gilchrist2012 (just watch his shoot and you will understand)
- Jabari Parker2014 (good player but disappointing career for the “Best High School Player Since LeBron”, not helped by injuries)
- James Wiseman2020 (start of career weighed down by injuries, but has plenty of time to get dirty)
The list is a bit freaky, especially if you’re a Thunder fan. But fortunately Chet Holmgren has the whole future ahead of him as well as the talent to dodge this category. In the meantime, let him take the time to recover from his foot injury, because we know how much sores have derailed many promising careers.