The Rockets have been pretty good about staying away from absolute busts (which I define as players who fall well short of their expected greatness). I'm not sure underperforming mid-1st round picks qualify as busts. There's a long list of players who underachieved as Rockets (Derrick Chievous, Buck Johnson, Rodney McCray, Sleepy Floyd, Scottie Pippen, etc.) but no true busts. Eddie Griffin could be the first, though he still has time to prove himself.
You obviously did not know the definition of a "bust" and couldnt relate to the Steve Harris' and Buck Johnson's of this world so I expanded the definition to include people you may have actually heard of. It's called perspective.
I'll go with the Band-Aid man, but that's at least in part because I bought into the hype at the time...and most of that was generated by the man himself. What can I say...I was a kid. But of you consider what could have been...what it seemed could have been, and wasn't...I am amazed that people aren't all over Robert Horry. A year into his career I would have bet my mother on him becoming a Pippen like star...instead of basketball's answer to Claude Lemieux...
Really? I would say most people thought Sampson underacheived in college, unable to lead his team to a National Championship. Isn't that how you distinguished Sampson from a Bill Walton. Certainly Sampson wasn't as good of a player as Walton but there's a huge difference between bust and hall of fame.
Look, there's no need to get chippy about things. RIET. I think Ralph Sampson's sky high expectations and rapid fall from grace qualify him as a bust. you think that players of lesser reputation who amount to nothing are bigger busts, whatever that may mean to you. I think we've done enough arguing on this bbs today, anything else adds nothing. Ralph Sampson was a three time college player of the year, Bill Walton was a three time colege player of the year, Ralph Sampson played basketball at an all star level for about 4 years and then was done, Walton led his team to an NBA title adn played off and on for about a decade or so. Bill Walton is in the hall of fame, Ralph needs a ticket to get into the hall of fame. How are they indistinguishable again?
Bob-B, I am still upset about that charging call against Lucas in the Eastern Conference finals in '77, that guys feet were moving....ARGH !!! Steve Harris, and Dereck Cheivous are my votes....along with Bryce Drew, Mirsad Turkan, Jason Collier etc...etc... DD
I said there's a huge difference between bust and hall of fame. Ralph Sampson averaged almost 20 points and about 11 rebounds per game as a Rocket. He was also an All Star, ROY, and led the Rockets to the NBA Finals against one of the best teams in NBA history. Yet somehow he was the biggest "bust" in Rockets history because he sustained injuries that were beyond his control. And please, Ralph Sampson had a great college career but he never won a championship. So no, his college career was not as good as "anybody out there".
Pippen. We all expected a top 50 player of all time and for the rockets to compete for the finals. We got a headcase and a complete a-hole and a first round exit. And all we had left to show is Kelvin Cato and Walt Williams. Eddie could easily make it but Ill give him 2 more years I guess.
Are you guys kidding me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nobody and I mean nobody beats Baloney, oops!! I mean Maloney!!!! That guy got paid and I don't know what the hell happen after that.........What ever happen to the guy????
Those are probably the best 2 choices. Pippen. Well we don't need to talk about him. EG was projected by some as a potential #1 choice. He was being compared to all sorts of All Stars including Tim Duncan. Right now, Id settle for a Joe Smith type player.
no one remembers john turner? jason collier is up there too. someone whos supposed to be a 2nd rounder gets picked 15th? did someone actually expect him to replace cato in the starting lineup?
Randy Livingston Micheal Dickerson Mirsad Turkan Serge Zwikker In the case of the last two, why do the Rockets draft guys that never even play a minute for the team? Do they like wasting draft picks?
I was afraid somebody was going to say that. I loved Buck's game, or rather, his potential game. I think John Turner would be my pick.
The only reason why Walton is in the hall of fame is because its the basketball hall of fame and not pro basketball hall of fame. Ralph Sampson had a better nba career than Walton. Walton had basically 2 good yrs as a pro. 1 yr he won the mvp and a title and thenext was when he won 6th man of the yr for boston in 86. Other than that, he didn't do anything to deserve to be in the HOF. its really a travesty that someone voted Walton in as a 50 greatest with 6,000 pts and 5000 rebs in 13 yrs while onlyplaying in 44% of the games.
Maloney + Charles Barkley........ I never liked the trade for barkley so ehhh I'm going to put his name as the biggest bust..
The biggest bust, not the biggest butt. Seriously, say what you want about him but Barkley got us past the Sonics. That's why he was brought here.
Me too. I posted some stats from Buck's career in another thread. His PPG average got up to 13-14 for a couple of years and hit 8-9 on the way up and the way down. It appears he was a starter for 4-5 years. Not too bad, really.
