[PsychoTforPresidentParticipant]

In your opinion who just did not live up to the hype as far as career goes? Anything goes, High School Phenom that never panned out, injury derailed career, or player that just fell off the map!

For me again I will go back a few years to Lester Earl. Back in the day Kobe was the can’t miss backcourt phenom, and Earl was the power foward of the future. His problem was his knees gave out, (LSU scandal aside) last I heard he was a few years away from knee replacement.

[LazarusMunozParticipant]

Randy Livingston…Didnt he have knee problems also?

[PsychoTforPresidentParticipant]

Two LSU guys with knee problems.

[trojans13Participant]

ronnie fields

[Lemons4LifeParticipant]

Michael Olowakandi or something like that. He was ok at the prime of his career, but I’d thought he’d be better. Also, Kwame Brown!

[McWinningParticipant]

i thought the Stache would be better.

[doubledribblerParticipant]

I’m not sure if he had the expectations of some of the other guys, but he is arguably one of the greatest college basketball players ever. He was the only non-NBA player selected to the original Dream Team (That had to be amazing to be a part of that in itself) and if I remember correctly he was the 3rd pick in the NBA draft in ’92 behind Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning. Two guys who had really nice careers. Zo’s would have been much better if not for some of the health reasons that popped up later on.

I’m not saying he had a bad career, but it probably wasn’t what a lot of people would have hoped for, especially those in MN.

[foxman2slyParticipant]

The all has been back court!

[D HampParticipant]

Randy Livingston was ahead of Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace. Livingston blew out his knee, twice. He has been a career CBA/NDBL player. Every year, he leads the league in assisst. Years ago, he was quick and strong at 6 foot 4. It hurt me to watch him go through that. As for Lester, injuries derailed his carreer also. I went to college with his twin brother who didn’t even play basketball. Lester had so much potential. Ronnie Fields is also a good example. He played hs ball with Garnett. As a 6 foot 3 shooting guard, even back in 1996, I’m not sure he would have panned out that well in the NBA. Latener actually made an all-star team, so I can’t really put him on this list. He had a few good years.
But there are plenty of names like these. Every year it’s someone. Winfred Walton didn’t even make it to the NBA. Many wouldn’t agree, but I liked Ray Young. He was Slams high school diary back in 1997. There was also Taj Davis. Shea Cotton. OMG. Last I heard, Carmelo was clowing on Cotton in summer league in 2004.

I could keep going but all of the wasted potential is painful.

Dhamp…the greatest basketball mind in the world. Next to Hubie Brown anyway.

[zhgzsteinParticipant]

God Shamgod, he invented the coolest crossover in basketball history,
Also, Lenny Cooke was a pretty big bust

[llperez]

Felipe Lopez, Omar Cook, Jaron Rush

[gedrosolanParticipant]

sebastian telfair

[PsychoTforPresidentParticipant]

Kenny Saterfield, Dermarr Johnson, Dajuan Wagner

[Chozen2Bgreat1Participant]

lenny cook people had this kid so hyped up

[dwilks101586Participant]

because all the hype he had in high school (like being the next Bill Russell lol). He didnt live up to it at the college and he wont even be a top 10 center. I think Noah will have a better career.

[quincey hodges]

I got the ultimate one for some of ya’ll older people (not real old) SCHEA COTTON…this kid dominated the NATION as a freshman. he was lebron before lebron

[JoeWolf1]

Kenny Gregory was a over hyped McDonalds All-American who signed with Kansas in 97′ . A high flying slasher drew comparisons of Kobe, but he never developed an outside shot and was a career 50% free throw shooter at Kansas as a 6’5” shooting guard. After a solid freshman year he was a sure fire 1st round pick, but after never improving his game he was not even considered a late 2nd rounder went straight to the NBDL after college before kicking it in British and Italian leagues

[OrangeJuiceJonesParticipant]

Sean Banks, although he wasn’t really overhyped. He has the talent, but he just hasn’t been able to catch on with any teams.

[quincey hodges]

wait whats considered a has been?..because some of theses players are making 300k plus over in europe (kenny gregory)

[adjose5Participant]

Jerod Ward
Felipe Lopez
Lenny Cooke
Winfred Walton
Michael Wright
Chris Burgess
Joe Forte

[PsychoTforPresidentParticipant]

What I meant this post to be was players who were sure fire NBA prospects that were supposed to even dominate, then never made it or fell off! Has been was a poor choice of title.

[quincey hodges]

ok…marcus taylor from mich st..chris wilcox harold minor

[morgatilParticipant]

I remember reading about him in SLAM in the 90s as being the second coming of Shawn Kemp. Also, Ronnie Fields. If it wasn’t for his car accident, we might be talking about Ronnie being one of the better players in the league over the last 10 years.

[quincey hodges]

yeah ronnie was good though he has been over hyped since the accident. before it he was a hell of a athlete strong and a pretty good slasher. he didnt have a jumper though and his handles were subpar and he was only 6’3 sg he was a shorter more athletic paul harris. actually the kid that played for depaul( paul mcpherson’s) game was a very similar. korleone young was a beast too. he was compared to kemp but he was alot shorter. he should have went to college but cant feel too bad for him since he makes 6figures over in europe

[morgatilParticipant]

paul mcpherson… I remember him having espn top 10 play dunks every night DePaul was on tv. He could fly.

Also, you have to have Tim Thomas on here. I mean, yes, he makes millions, but every year since he has been in the league he has been overpayed because some GM always figured that “this is the year” Tim takes advantage of his gifts and it never ever worked out that way. I saw him play in person in college and he truly just looked bored out there. The game came to easy for him and he didn’t care.

Bill Walker too. I know he tore his acl, but this guy was supposed to be the NEXT VC. Hopefully he can bounce back and break Boston’s rotation next year.

[quincey hodges]

yeah thats how ronjie was..highlights nightly. i never bought the vince carter comparision. walker could jump but he wasnt in vince carters leauge as far as that. though a good player but never developed more of the sg/sf game. he played some last year and in the d leauge this year. his game is more power post you up

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