Having a lottery pick often a ticket to Draft disaster

Since its inception in 1985, the NBA Draft lottery has evolved from commissioner David Stern simply pulling envelopes out of a plastic bin on a plain stage into a big production on a fancy set that closely resembles a TV game show. Even for teams that win the lottery, there are no guarantees of escaping "Jeopardy" in the Draft.

As the league prepares for the 25th Draft during the Lottery Era -- it's Thursday at 8 p.m. ET -- here's a list that shows that every slot among the top 14 has had its share of candidates for "Wipeout."

Michael Olowokandi (1998, Clippers)

It is fitting that the dubious honor at the top spot goes to the Clippers, considering they are the unofficial symbol of NBA futility. They have to hope things turn out better with Blake Griffin as the No. 1 pick this year. They can't be worse, can they? The Kandi Man played just 500 career games, never averaging more than 12.3 points a game in a single season. Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison are just a few names the Clips could have called out on draft night instead.

On the ugly list: Kwame Brown (2001, Wizards), Pervis Ellison (1989, Kings).

Darko Milicic (2003, Pistons)

It's not that Milicic hasn't turned himself into a serviceable frontline player. It was general manager Joe Dumars' stubborn insistence that he was the choice ahead of the obvious pick of Carmelo Anthony. If Anthony had gone to Motown, chances are he'd still be playing in the same lineup with Chauncey Billups, only they'd be an Eastern Conference power and the Pistons wouldn't be trying to start all over again.

On the ugly list: Stromile Swift (2000, Grizzlies), Shawn Bradley (1993, Sixers).

Chris Washburn (1986, Warriors)

It might be awfully tempting to run recent No. 3 Adam Morrison's name up the flagpole, but he just collected a championship ring for sitting on the Lakers' bench. Washburn, the poster boy for drug abuse, played just 72 games over two seasons at Golden State and Atlanta. So laid back that the Warriors thought even Joe Barely Cares could motivate him. Washburn was banned for life in 1989 after flunking his third drug test in three years.

On the ugly list: Dennis Hopson (1987, Nets), Morrison (2006, Bobcats).

Marcus Fizer (2000, Bulls)

He carved out a reputation at Iowa State for being a rugged frontline player who performed larger than his size, which was said to be 6-foot-8. He was several inches short of that and had more tattoos (31) than standout games in four seasons with the Bulls. He bounced around the DNBA Developmental League and then played in the Spanish League last season for Capitanes de Arecibo. It was a weak Draft class, but Mike Miller, Joel Przybilla and Michael Redd are still playing and producing.

On the ugly list: Antonio Daniels (1997, Grizzles), Donyell Marshall (1994, Timberwolves).

Nikoloz Tskitishvili (2002, Nuggets)

The 7-footer from Tbilisi, Georgia was the Rocky Mountain version of Darko Mlicic. He preceded Darko by a year and couldn't produce half as much on the court. Tskita averaged just 3.0 points and 1.8 rebounds in three seasons in Denver before bouncing to Golden State, Minnesota and Phoenix and then returning to Europe, where his career continues. He was a stranger in a strange land who could never make his athleticism and ability compute in the NBA.

On the ugly list: Jon Koncak (1985, Hawks), Tony Battie (1997, Nuggets).

Robert Traylor (1998, Mavericks)

Before you give demerits to the Mavericks for making such a horrible pick, remember this was actually one of the greatest Draft Day steals of all time. The Mavs selected "Tractor" Traylor and in a pre-arranged deal sent him out to pasture in Milwaukee for the young prospect that would turn into Dirk Nowitzki. Traylor triggered a six-year investigation into the University of Michigan program and eventually took a guilty plea from the feds for money laundering. With an NBA career scoring average of 4.8, he now plays in Turkey.

On the ugly list: William Bedford (1986, Suns), Bryant Reeves (1995, Grizzlies).

Roy Tarpley (1986, Mavericks)

The Mavericks get to take the hit for this pick. Not because Tarpley was a horrible player, but for his train wreck of a personal life that derailed what should have been a splendid career. His drug demons were so pervasive that he was banned from the league for life. Twice. After winning the Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1988 and helping the Mavs reach the Western Conference finals, Tarpley went over the cliff.

On the ugly list: Chris Mihm (2000, Cavaliers).

DeSagana Diop (2001, Cavaliers)

One of the poster boys for the "should-have-gone-to-college crowd." Joined Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry and Ousmane Cisse in the foursome of high school players to jump straight to the NBA in 2001 and none of them has ever set the league on fire. The Senegal native is active and loves to block every shot that goes up toward the basket, but his offensive skills are almost non-existent as evidenced by a career scoring average of just 2.1 points a game. None of that stopped the Mavericks from giving him a 6-year, $32-million contract in 2008.

On the ugly list: Bo Kimble (1990, Clippers), Rafael Araujo (2004, Raptors).

Ed O'Bannon (1995, Nets)

He led UCLA to the national title and was named the College Player of the Year and none of that meant a thing when he tried to take his game to the next level. O'Bannon averaged 6.2 and 4.2 points in his only two NBA seasons as a classic "tweener" -- too small to play forward and too slow to play guard. Knee problems brought his career to a quick end. Now he's a car salesman in Las Vegas.

On the ugly list: Mike Sweetney (2003, Knicks), Rodney White (2001, Pistons).

Luke Jackson (2004, Cavaliers)

A finalist for College Player of the Year in 2004 at Oregon, he was rarely able to get onto the court in his first two seasons in Cleveland. Similar to O'Bannon, with no speed to play in the backcourt or size to play up front. Imagine how much better the Cavs might have been if they'd have taken Al Jefferson (15), Josh Smith (17), J.R. Smith (18) or Jameer Nelson (20) instead.

On the ugly list: Saer Sene (2006, Sonics), Adam Keefe (1992, Hawks).

Fran Vazquez (2005, Magic)

Many players prove they cannot play in the NBA. But it's an even more glaring mistake when you draft a player who won't play. The 6-foot-10 power forward abruptly changed his mind right after the Magic took him with the No. 11 pick and decided to remain in the Spanish ACB League. He's gone back and forth over the last several seasons and now says he'd like to play alongside Dwight Howard. So far, as they say in Spain ... nada.

On the ugly list: Todd Fuller (1996, Warriors), Trajan Langdon (1999, Cavaliers).

Kenny Green (1985, Bullets)

There are always players that teams regret not taking when they had the chance, blown picks that make teams shudder at the memory. But when it's the very next pick in a particular year, and it's Karl Malone, and when you're the folks in the front office in Washington it's enough to make you wake up in a cold sweat every night for several decades. Green lasted two seasons. The Mailman, of course, finished as the No. 2 scorer in NBA history.

On the ugly list: Cherokee Parks (1995, Mavericks), Alec Kessler (1990, Rockets, traded to Heat).

Michael Smith (1989, Celtics)

Talk about your classic swing and a miss. Six players taken later --Tim Hardaway, Dana Barros, Shawn Kemp, B.J. Armstrong, Vlade Divac and Clifford Robinson -- went on to make NBA All-Star teams, while Smith helped the Celtics wander around lost in the non-championship desert until Kevin Garnett arrived in 2007-08. Smith played two years with the Celtics, went overseas and returned to the NBA for one more season with the Clippers.

On the ugly list: Courtney Alexander (2000, Mavericks), Pearl Washington (1986, Nets).

Alfrederick Hughes (1985, Spurs)

Alfrederick the Great out of Loyola of Chicago never saw a shot he didn't like or wouldn't take. He was going to be the 1980s incarnation of Pistol Pete Maravich when the Spurs gobbled him up in the first round. Instead, Hughes played just one NBA season, which was considerably less than Joe Dumars, A.C. Green and Terry Porter, all of whom could have gone to San Antonio if the Spurs hadn't been blinded by all of those collegiate points.

On the ugly list: Yinka Dare (1994, Nets), William Avery (1999, Timberwolves).