In this new series TDR will explore some of the worst draft blunders made by both high school and college players who became early entry candidates in the NBA draft. The players' stories may invoke readers' jeers and mocking as these ex-NBA hopefuls appear to be the butt of a self-inflicted joke, but hopefully this series goes beyond entertainment and serves as a valuable lesson, if not a warning, to future players considering early entry status and how NOT to go about it.
Examining High-School Blunders
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Non-Blue chip players like McDavid should have gone to college.
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1996 Underclassman - Taj McDavid
McDavid was a solid player from Palmetto high school, but his 25 points per game were accomplished in
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More than a movie, for some real life.
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McDavid was not rated by recruiting analysts or colleges as a top 50 prospect in his state, nor was the 6-6 small forward ever considered an exceptional prospect. But perception is often reality and it didn’t matter that McDavid had zero ACC and SEC scholarship offers. Nor did it matter that every close relationship, from his head coach to his peers, objected to his decision to declare. Instead of focusing on improving his mediocre grades and poor work ethic, McDavid's delusions of grandeur caused him to abandon the idea of college and shoot way beyond his reach. It's no surprise he went undrafted, but he received consolation 3 years later when the NCAA restored his eligibility, qualifying him to play basketball under an athletic scholarship.
McDavid went on to enroll at Division II Anderson College, but even there his talent was suspect. He played his freshmen year on the school’s intramural team where he was average at best. To this day he will not grant interviews. The latest media on McDavid reported him living in his parent’s mobile home and a regular at the local playground playing pick-up games.
1998 Underclassman - Ellis Richardson
Two years after watching his friend, Taj McDavid, make the foolish decision to go pro, Richardson decided he was ready and able. McDavid would apparently travel to California during summers and play basketball at Richardson’s local basketball court, and reportedly told Richardson that he was good enough to go pro. Richardson was never known by local schools like UCLA and only received one phone call from CSUN, which is Cal State Northridge for those who don't know.
While a bit more talented than his buddy McDavid, Richardson's poor grades and average ability hinted at a future in junior college or the ranks of the NAIA. At Polytechnic High the 6-4 power forward was the school’s best player, but that's not saying much as they never made the playoffs in their average California high school basketball league. It's unfortunate that Richardson was egged on by his mother, who acted like his agent, proclaiming her support for him and blaming his lack of exposure on his mediocre high school team. This is one of those moments when you have to be careful whose advice you subscribe too. Listening to people like McDavid or mommies who believe their children are superstars is like taking financial advice from someone whose bankrupt and touts a 400 credit score.
One year after going undrafted Richardson was arrested for armed robbery and sentenced to 8 months in prison. Has anyone heard from him since?
2008 Underclassman - Derek Bailey
You probably didn't noticed his name on the early entry list over big time players like Beasley and Rose. Bailey was the other post graduate hopeful alongside the well-known and controversial John Riek. He was definitely a more obscure player, but the historian in me had to pay attention nonetheless. My contacts in South Carolina were unaware of who Bailey was and vaguely knew of his school, Providence Christian Academy.
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How new was Providence Christian? Home games were played at the Pickens YMCA.
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Meanwhile, Bailey had just finished up his senior year at Butler High in Georgia, and with little attention from Division One schools, seemed set to walk-on at respected Division II Augusta State before deciding to join Mark Knight at Providence (due to unstable academics and little experience playing high-level organized ball). As a role player at Providence he provided quality play while the team’s best player, Justin Von Wright, led the school to a NACA Division II championship.
Perhaps Bailey felt on top of the world, and at the advice of a family friend he entered the 2008 NBA draft. This is despite not being a player whose name you can easily find in Google search results. Even worse, he isn’t listed on respected recruiting sites such as Rivals or Scout.com. After hunting down Bailey he quickly informed me that he was a serious candidate who, like Beasley and Rose, wasn't perfect and had things to work on. His display of athleticism, quickness, and ball handling - all average at best - can be found on is MySpace page. Thank you, Derek Bailey, for withdrawing from the draft! His future destination is unknown at this time.
Early entry blunders are made when young players step out of reality and rush decisions they're not mentally (not to mention, athletically) prepared for. At best these players become trivia questions for draft-niks and basketball nerds who want to stump their friends. How many high school players applied for the 1996 NBA Draft? Three in all - two superstars named Kobe Bryant and Jermaine O'Neal who celebrated that night, and one average Joe, Taj McDavid, who went to bed heartbroken. Although high school early entry is obsolete for now, 5th year seniors should take note, be realistic about their abilities, and maybe do what the NCAA says - "go pro in something other than sports".
More Blunders: Underclassmen Blunders of the NBA Draft - Returning to College