6 College Stars Who Were A Bust In The NBA

By Camden Joiner on December 23, 2014

Stardom in college doesn’t always equal success in the professional level at every sport, but especially not in basketball. Many have turned professional only to tumble from the spotlight. These are the stars that fell the hardest.

Image via lostlettermen.com

Pervis EllisonLouisville

Pervis Ellison found success quickly and often at the University of Louisville in 1985. He led the Cardinals to a National Championship in just his freshman season. Even earning the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, he was only the second freshman to do so. In the 1989 NBA Draft, he was the first overall pick, selected by the Sacramento Kings.

However like many stars before and after him, Ellison struggled to stay healthy. Ellison, after 11 years in the league, retired after a very average career where he struggled to stay on the floor for extended periods.

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Sam BowieKentucky
Sam Bowie will forever be the man who was picked over Michael Jordan. Bowie was selected 2nd overall by the Trail Blazers, one spot ahead of what would be the greatest basketball player to have ever lived. Standing at over 7 feet, Portland preferred Bowie’s size to Jordan’s flash.

However, they would soon regret their decision. Bowie’s career, much like Ellison’s, was filled with injuries. He did last 11 seasons in the league, but shot around 40 percent, quite inexcusable for a player who took so many lay-ups. But Bowie was always remembered as the man who went before Jordan and he lived in 23′s shadow his whole career.

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Greg OdenOhio State

Oden has a near identical story to that of Bowie’s. A 7-footer, Oden led the Buckeyes all the way to the National Title Game, in a losing effort to the Florida Gators. He was selected first overall in the ensuing NBA Draft, yet another mistake by the Portland Trail Blazers.

The man that would go directly behind Oden was last year’s NBA MVP Kevin Durant. Oden struggled with knee issues early in his career and was consistently blamed for Portland choosing him over Durant. Oden was out of basketball completely between 2010-13, before eventually resurfacing in a bench role with the Miami Heat last season.

Image via http://news.byu.edu

Jimmer FredetteBYU

Famous for hitting 3′s all over the court, Jimmer led the BYU Cougars as a Cinderella team throughout the March Madness Tournament. He even went on to win the Wooden Award in 2011.

He was a fan-favorite through his high scoring prowess and despite being a bit short for a shooting guard was selected 10th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Draft.

But his lack of defensive talent caught up with him at the next level, as did his troubles with creating his own shot. Jimmer has been relegated to fewer and fewer minutes off the bench and has bounced around to three different teams in just four years.

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Hasheem ThabeetUCONN

The tallest player in UCONN history at 7-foot-3, Thabeet led the Big East in blocked shots all three seasons he spent in Connecticut. His size and rim protection led to him being selected 2nd overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies.

Players taken after Thabeet include James Harden, Steph Curry, DeMar DeRozan, Ty Lawson and Jeff Teague.

Very early in his professional career, Thabeet was sent to the D-League. He was a late comer to basketball and it was clear very quickly he was a bit too raw for the NBA. Despite being 7-foot-3, Thabeet continually struggled to rebound. He has played on four different teams in five seasons and currently plays for Oklahoma City’s D-League team.

Image via nbaavenue.blogspot.com

Evan TurnerOhio State

A consensus first team All-American, Evan Turner was a star at Ohio State. Famously returning from a back injury mid-game, Turner was hailed for toughness as well as clutch shot making ability. He would go on to win the Wooden Award in 2010.

Evan was the 2nd overall pick in the NBA Draft, drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers one spot behind John Wall. But Turner still struggles to find his role in the NBA to this day. He’s an average shooter as well as proving to be average on defense, which currently isn’t a hot commodity in the league.

Turner was traded to the Celtics last year mid-season, his third team in four years. He has yet to continue his clutch streak into the professional level and has been delegated to dwindling minutes off the bench.

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