2006 Rookie Class Early Bust Predictions
So the Summer Leagues have been up and running and many of the rookies have been able to show their stuff at least to some extent. I’ve written a piece on Busts in NBA History. in the past so I’m curious to hear what you guys think about this class of rookies. Who do you think of the players selected in the first round has the most potential to be an NBA bust?
Please bear in mind that this is all based on perception since we can’t tell until much later in a players career before we can really label someone as a bust. For all we know none of them will be a bust but for the sake of argument, who has the best chance to be one?
If you ask me, I’d say it’s not even Renaldo Balkman. He was indeed selected too high but I doubt he’s bust material. If he were a 2nd round pick like he was projected, I think he would have been a solid pick. For me, potential busts are those guys drafted out of potential alone. It’s those guys that still have raw skills that could take time to develop. Or even worse, it’s those guys who are drafted on height more than anything else.
Two players come to my mind when bust potential in this draft class is concerned, Patrick O’Bryant of the Warriors and Saer Sene of the Sonics. Both have a good chance to be good centers in the league but their skills need a lot of work. O’Bryant’s stock rose because of one great year in college. Would he be able to do the same in the pros? Sene is still very raw but based on what I’ve heard he already is a good defensive player. His situation in Seattle could hurt him too with 2 other young project centers in the roster, Robert Swift and Johan Petro. Of the three Sonics’ centers though I rank Sene as the best.
Who are your picks?
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4 opinions for 2006 Rookie Class Early Bust Predictions
James
Jul 15, 2006 at 8:58 am
Angelo, saw Balkman beating up on UofM Wolverines in the NIT Championships. He looked like the kind of player that hustles, gets rebounds, plays some D, and kind of hangs around in the NBA.
Watched Shannon Brown and Mo Ager play for my MSU Spartans all year. Both are awesome athletes. Shannon is short, where does he play? Maybe won’t make a difference with playing with LeBron. Mo is great on the break or shooting the 3, but Dallas said they got him to guard shooting guards. Never saw him guard one in college.
Dick
Oct 8, 2006 at 10:24 pm
I think Robert Swift has the most upside by far as long as he stays injury prone… he basically had the starting job at the end.
Sene will be like an adonal foyle-type player at best.. which = bust. Petro is a bust for sure haha — cant play defense or offence.
Obryant will contribute. OFF THE BENCH. Too many raw centers in NBA right now, but none get the playing time to develope… sigh
I have faith in Isaiah Thomas’s draft picks.. so Balkman will be ok. But other than that, they should fire him.
Bargnani as a 1st overall pick?? lol
Dick
Oct 8, 2006 at 10:25 pm
as long as he *doesn’t stay injury prone
NBA Obsessed » Early Bust Warning Signals For O’Bryant
Jan 25, 2007 at 11:37 pm
[…] Patrick O’Bryant of the Golden State Warriors was on my possible bust list in the off season for this season’s rookies. I t seems that I just might be right but of course it’s too early too tell. This piece of news from Warriors coach Don Nelson just seems very telling about the current state of the young center’s development. O’Bryant, the only NBA lottery selection to receive the D-League treatment, is averaging 6.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in seven games with the Jam but has fouled out twice and shot just 40 percent. […]
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