Is Anthony Bennett the worst No. 1 pick ever?
After struggling to find minutes in the Nets' rotation, Anthony Bennett was officially waived by Brooklyn on Monday, ending his tenure with his fourth team in four seasons.
Drafted with the first overall selection in the 2013 Draft, Bennett has largely failed to make an impact in the NBA, begging the question, is he the worst No. 1 pick of all time?
Kwame Brown (2001)
| Games | PPG | RBG | BPG | FG% | Win Shares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 607 | 6.6 | 5.5 | 0.6 | 49.2 | 20.8 |
Hand-picked by then-Washington Wizards shooting guard Michael Jordan, Brown quickly became one of the poster children for the dangers of jumping straight from high school to the NBA.
While he never developed an offensive game, Brown was solid on the other end of the floor, serving as a decent post defender during his 12-year career.
Michael Olowokandi (1998)
| Games | PPG | RBG | BPG | FG% | Win Shares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | 8.3 | 6.8 | 1.4 | 43.5 | 2.5 |
Desperate to find a big man capable of dominating the paint, the Los Angeles Clippers used their No. 1 overall pick on 7-foot Nigerian center Michael Olowokandi almost two decades ago.
Without a true offensive game, Olowokandi struggled to make much of an impact during his career, averaging double-digit points just twice in nine seasons.
Greg Oden (2008)
| Games | PPG | RBG | BPG | FG% | Win Shares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 105 | 8.0 | 6.2 | 1.2 | 57.4 | 7.3 |
Greg Oden's career was far from extensive, but the Ohio State product was actually effective the few times he wasn't riddled with injuries.
Oden has recently labeled himself as the "biggest bust in NBA history," but one could argue that he's actually the best player on this list.
LaRue Martin (1972)
| Games | PPG | RBG | BPG | FG% | Win Shares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 151 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 0.5 | 41.6 | 1.9 |
After dominating during his four-year career at Loyola University Chicago, Martin's NBA dreams came true when he was chosen first overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1972.
A skinny 6-foot-11 center, Martin failed to live up to his draft status, lasting just four seasons before calling it quits the year before the Blazers' lone championship run.
Bennett (2013)
| Games | PPG | RBG | BPG | FG% | Win Shares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 151 | 4.4 | 3.1 | 0.2 | 39.2 | 0.5 |
The Cleveland Cavaliers shocked many by choosing Bennett, who was coming off a good, but not great year at UNLV, first overall.
It didn't take long for the Cavs to realize their mistake, as Bennett was shipped out the following season in a deal that landed them Kevin Love.
Bennett's professional career isn't officially over, but the 23-year-old has shown little to prove he's worthy of another NBA roster spot.
Verdict:
While there have been plenty of first overall busts over the years, Bennett likely has the most underwhelming resume of the bunch.
Hopefully, it's not too little, too late for the 6-foot-8 forward.